Two Different Worlds
by stargal2636
Summary: Ten to Thirteen years later, Helga is now a famous novelist where her book "Lost Love" has shot her up to the instant fame. Versus Arnold whose life was completely different in stark contrast to hers...Having lost everything; his grandparents, his home...he did the one thing he had to do...search for his lost parents...Dark Arnold Fanfiction.
1. Chapter 1: Our Lives

**Chapter 1: Our Lives**

New York City, a rich, robust city that never sleeps. He looked at himself once more; bright yellow hair slicked back, and a football shaped head. The same small blue hat that he's held onto since he was a child. A beige turtleneck sweater, with a long black coat and loose fitting jeans. He decided to take a walk outside towards the bookstore. He turned to look at the time: "**5:15pm.**" He began walking towards the door to put his black shoes on so he could head out walking, hopefully he might find something interesting. Anything to get away from...everything.

* * *

She awoke from the dreams she kept having of him. She never told him how she felt, and still feels about him to this very day. She must have fallen asleep while attempting to write her newest novel, so she decided to get up and take a walk to rejuvenate herself. She had been so worked up, and less inspired lately as she began to look at herself. Long curly blonde hair, smooth pale skin with a hint of rosy cheeks, natural pink lips, and now rid of her ugly uni-brow she was once haunted by as a young girl. She was wearing an A-line skirt that ended at her knees, a brown tank top, and round toed black kitten heels. She rinsed her face to wash away the tiredness she felt, and began walking towards the door to throw on her green pea coat. She needed some coffee, and a good cup too.

* * *

Once he arrived at the new bookstore that had opened last month, which still smelled of fresh printed books and sweets. Arnold began strolling through the bestsellers aisle now recognizing the one name of an author that was almost too familiar for comfort. "**Helga Pataki.**"

It all came flashing back to the mean girl he once knew as a child, and the same girl that still continued to pick on him up until 7th grade. Shortly after that, she disappeared. At the time he always wondered what happened to her, but on the other end counted his blessings for the one woman who would no longer taunt or tease him anymore. At the time that is.

He smiled at the memory of her, as he picked up the hardback cover of the book that sat on the shelves.

The title read "_Lost Love._"

Helga Pataki? In love? With who? & When? He thought to himself sarcastically.

But he was all the more intrigued now. He then walked towards the cashier so he could purchase the book.

"Hello! Did you find everything okay?" The cute brown haired cashier said to him. Arnold smiled in response.

"Yeah, thanks." He replied as he handed her the book.

"Lost Love? I heard this one was good, a best seller actually" The cashier commented.

"Really?" Arnold replied to the cashier almost skeptically towards her.

"Mhm, I read it. Phenomenal book, its actually quite sad" The cashier said looking downwards avoiding eye contact with him

"That's interesting" Arnold said thinking to himself, not paying too much attention to the cashier.

"That'll be $8.74" said the cashier now looking at him.

Arnold paid for the book, and began walking towards the nearest coffee shop, after all he did enjoy coffee and a good book. Anything to get away from those damned screams he kept hearing in his nightmares.

* * *

Helga now holding her coffee in between her hands began walking towards the booth in the corner away from everyone.

She took a sip of her coffee as it began to work on her frazzled nerves.

"_One regular coffee, please_" She heard a familiar voice say and her eyes began to widen, and her heart skipped a beat at the sound. It couldn't be?! Is it!?

She turned to look, and there he was, her heart was now racing and her mouth went dry.

He was turned away from her, but he was wearing a long black jacket, and loose fitting jeans. His bright blonde hair was slicked back where she could see the tips of his hair, and the back of his small blue hat.

She hadn't seen him in years, since her family decided to move suddenly. Her heart was in her throat now in anticipation to look at his face.

He finally turned around so she could see him.

Her jaw dropped to the floor, she knew he would be good looking but good lord was he ever.

His bright blonde hair slicked back, bright blue eyes, square rimless glasses, a light tan on his skin, no facial hair, however his face looked much older and more attractive. His jacket was long and ended at his knees with buttons going all the way down, his jacket was open and swayed behind him and a beige turtleneck sweater peeked through the jacket, dark wash loose fitting jeans and simple black shoes. His body was more filled out, and it was easy to tell through the clothes he wore, more muscular, natural, and it made her insides like jello at how beautiful he was. No Greek/Roman God, or Spartan warrior would do this man justice at this moment.

His eyes began searching for a place to sit, when she finally noticed he had a book in his hands.

She turned away from him, to calm her racing heart, as her mouth went dry, her insides officially melted, and her nerves taking hold of her. She began gulping her coffee down, to calm herself.

She turned slowly back to look towards him, which he was now walking towards a chair in the middle of the cafe. He moved like he was in complete control of his body, graceful and poised. This was so unfair because now her cheeks were burning up.

He sat, crossing his legs, and pulled the book out of the bag. Normally when men cross there legs it would look too feminine, but for him it was very relaxed like he was in his element, which made it more manly than what she's used to see. He looked like an Angel in her eyes, and she had longed for this man for her whole life, now Helga was completely mesmerized by him, for her childish crush on this one man...named Arnold.

* * *

He opened the book, and read the first dedication page "_To my family, and most importantly my love_"

"Hmm" he murmured to himself as he turned the next page fixing his glasses and set them closer to his face.

* * *

**"Chapter 1: The One Who Started It All.**  
_As a young child, I remember the way everyone always treated her. Especially my parents, the way they always put her first. The earliest memory I have when it comes to her, my older sister; was when I was three years old my parents were so absorbed with her when she played the piano and I kept asking my father "Whose taking me to preschool?" _

_He shoved me away, and told me to "go play." _

_It was raining that day, and I decided to walk myself to preschool. Imagine a three year old walking outside in the rain in the big city. _

_When I think back on it now, so much could have happened to me but it made me realize that I was always alone in this world. _

_My lunch was stolen, and I was covered in mud. _

_When I finally made it to the school, I wanted to speak with no one and preferred to be alone. _

_When suddenly a little boy with a football shaped head, and bright yellow hair decided to share his umbrella with me and said to me "I like your bow"_

_"Huh?" I replied to him confused, shocked and a bit bewildered._

_"I like your bow because its pink like your pants" he said smiling at me, as he began walking inside the preschool._

_At that moment, I knew-"_

* * *

"Hey football head" He heard a familiar voice calmly and almost jokingly say as he quickly and slowly glanced at her and returned his eyes to the book. He smiled at what he had just seen, because there the author was, standing in front of him only this time it wasn't the little preteen girl from his memory.

Green pea coat with a belt that wrapped around her waist and ended at her hips, her brown tank top with lace peaking from the jacket, a dark A-Line pencil skirt, with round toed black kitten heels. Her blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders seductively, making her skin look soft and supple. Her eyes a sparkling bright brown, and no uni-brow, rosy flushed cheeks and full pink lips.

Arnold was actually taken aback at how lovely she looked. His eyes still focused on the book.

"Hello Ms. Pataki. You look quite lovely, if I do say so myself" Arnold said still looking at the book, and a devilish smirk played on his lips. His voice was soft, warm, soothing, rich, and more importantly...sexy as hell.

Helga decided to ignore the fact that she now felt weak at the knees from his compliment.

He shut the book, and began looking back at her, his eyes shining bright blue.

She smiled warmly back at him.

Arnold was taken aback by her reaction, never for as long as he had known her...has she genuinely smiled, about anything. He quickly blinked the shock from his eyes regaining his composure.

"Mind if I join you?" Helga said calmly to him motioning to sit down in front of him.

Arnold decided to ignore the loud pounding of his heart in his chest. Perhaps it was because he hadn't seen her in a long time, almost 12-15 ish years.

"Not at all" Arnold replied to her still seeming calm as he accepted her offer. He snickered under his breath to himself finally remembering what she called him.

"Whats so funny?" Helga snapped returning to the shrewd little girl he was all too familiar with.

"That nickname brings back memories for me" Arnold said looking at her smiling warmly. He looked boyish in his smile.

She smiled in response to him.

"Yeah, I did torture you a lot didn't I?" Helga admitted looking at him earnestly. He blinked in surprise, and his smile became an all knowing smile.

"A lot is a bit of an understatement, Ms. Pataki" Arnold said in response his eyebrow raising as if to inquire"Yeah right".

They both started laughing at there own odd relationship and recollection of there memories.

Helga couldn't remember when was the last time she felt something this comfortable, this warm, and loving. The whole reason she came over towards him was because she remembered what she had put in the book about him. The book that became a bestseller and instantly put her to fame a few years back, and yet she was missing something and someone from home. She couldn't remember a night she didn't dream about him, which made her more uneasy than normally. They sat in awkward silence for a few moments until Arnold said something.

"I didn't know you write" Arnold said looking at her a small smirk playing on his lips, as Helga turned to look back at him.

His eyes are as shining as the sky and her made her heart race. Why did she not tell him how she felt sooner? Did he even feel the same way about her? Probably not.

She wondered if he still had a thing for Lila. She snapped herself out of her thoughts.

"Well yeah, I've been writing for as long as I can remember. I guess you couldn't have known that, considering the circumstances." Helga admitted looking away from him. He was too gorgeous and it made her nervous.

He paused, and sipped his coffee before speaking again and looking back at her.

"Ms. Pataki, would you care to share what happened to you so many years ago when you suddenly left in the middle of the school year? Well you weren't my favorite person growing up, however I'm curious to know." Arnold said still staring at her intently.

Helga was taken aback, when did he get to be so blunt and honest? He wasn't like this at all. His words stung a bit.

"Where do I start?" Helga replied looking back towards him not paying attention how his words had stung her a bit on the inside, now his eyes solely focused on her intently listening for her response.

She couldn't tell him the reason she left was because she insisted to her family that they moved. She couldn't handle being near Arnold and never telling him how she felt about him. It seemed like a childish thought now.

"At the beginning, like in your book." Arnold said cunningly, a devilish smirk playing on his lips as he continued staring intently at her.

Helga's face was drained completely of all blood, like she had seen a ghost. Does he know? She gulped her coffee nervously.

Arnold could tell she was nervous, but instead decided to follow the rules of the conversation and not use his unfair advantage in this conversation. She was so easy to read, even though he hadn't seen her so many years.

Helga looked back at him and attempted to calm herself before speaking.

"So you started reading it did you?" Helga replied to him, allowing her nervousness to show a bit more.

He chuckled a charming devilish smile, and bright white teeth showed.

Her heart came to a stop.

"Yeah, before running into you." Arnold said abruptly bringing Helga's heart back to life.

For so long she had dreamed of him, and yet she still couldn't be around him. Dreams did him no justice.

"Look, Arnold...I...want to say..." Helga began to say, but her throat suddenly dry and parched. She sipped her coffee before continuing.

Arnold looked intrigued by what she was going to say as he shifted himself forward and eyes staring straight at her.

God this was so hard, but she had dreamed of saying it for as long as she can remember.

"I'm listening" Arnold said, his blue eyes piercing her and his posture relaxed.

Helga took a deep breath before she spoke, and looked into his eyes.

"I'm sorry, I know I caused you lots of pain...and plenty of embarrassment for you to count, but I wanted you to know...that...your...not a bad guy at all." Helga finally said and breathed a heavy sigh.

Arnold smiled warmly at her.

She melted.

"Thank you, Ms. Pataki. That actually does mean a lot. Even though it seems pointless now."Arnold replied sipping his coffee his smile turning into a small frown and his eyes trailed away from her.

What did he mean by that? Helga curious to ask.

"What do you mean by that?" She said her eyes filled with curiosity.

Arnold smirked and chuckled at her, his posture turned away from her.

"Lets just say, life has a funny way of showing you how truly evil and ugly the world can be. Everything changed after Phil and Pookie died." Arnold said his eyes focused on her from the corner of his eye, and a sarcastic smile followed in the corner of his mouth, allowing his sadness to show and some kind of darkness that she couldn't pinpoint.

Helga looked baffled, the man she had dreamed about was not the nice boy she once knew. Had she known, she never would have left. Somehow she could tell he was hiding something, and it made her uneasy.

Arnold now realized she was frowning by what he had said, he turned to face her before he spoke.

"Hey now Ms. Pataki, there's no reason for you to frown. As far as I'm concerned I'm pretty sure I've shed enough tears for the both of us." Arnold said his lips playing into a smile, but his eyes still said everything: sadness, longing, and loneliness.

Helga was taken aback, as this made her heart sink. She did the only thing she knew how to do in situations like these whenever she was surrounded by much sadness.

She smiled em pathetically at him, and her eyes filled with understanding and something else he couldn't pinpoint.

"What are you smiling for?" Arnold asked curiously, slightly confused by the look she was giving him.

Helga's hand began to cover her smile for a moment realizing it was an inappropriate reaction when Arnold suddenly reached for her hand, and grabbed it by the wrist.

Helga was shocked by the warmth and electricity she felt when he touched her and how swift he had grabbed her hand, she barely even move from his sides.

She looked at him, as he didn't let go of her hand.

"**Don't.** Cover your smile I mean." Arnold said, his face serious and gentle at the same time.

She began to melt under his fiery gaze. He then let go slowly, now there eyes locked on each other for could have been long minutes.

* * *

"**MS. PATAKI! MS. PATAKI! MS. PATAKI!**" She suddenly heard a crowd of people screaming at her from outside the coffee shop breaking there long stare.

They both suddenly turned to look outside. People with cameras stumbling over each other taking pictures of her and Arnold together. Fans screaming outside the cafe, now rushing to get inside.

The owners decided to close the doors in respect to Helga, considering they knew she was here often.

She looked at Arnold once more, as he was caught smiling...chuckling under his breath.

"You didn't tell me you were famous." Arnold said maintaining his smirk of amusement before returning his gaze back at her.

"Well considering my book is a best seller, I would think it would shoot anyone to instant fame. I swear you can be such a Doe head." Helga replied to him snarkly the way she would have sounded if they were kids.

He laughed, a very rich robust laugh. Not a loud booming laugh, but subtle and rich. It was the laugh of a man, and not a child.

She giggled as well in response to him.

"I figured that would've made you laugh" Helga said to him, smiling.

He looked at her still smiling, there eyes now locked again. The bright flashes of paparazzi taking pictures of them through the glass window outside the cafe, as they kept looking at each other. They both seemed to be looking for an answer in each other the longer there eyes were locked, Who were they now? What was this darkness in his eyes that made her uneasy? What was she trying to tell him? Had she been trying to tell her something all this time?

"I should get going, I have desperate fans wanting to meet me. Although my publicist will be pissed at me for even being out in public without her prior knowledge. Its a job." Helga said breaking there silent conversation between there eyes now rising from the table gathering her things.

"Welcome to the world of the fishbowl Ms. Pataki, I thought you couldn't stand being an It Girl." Arnold replied to her in confusion and sarcastically.

She chuckled under her breath.

"That little girl from your memory doesn't like being in the spotlight, but this Helga doesn't mind, and as far as I'm concerned...its a job so I don't think about it much. See ya later Football Head." Helga said to him as she began walking away from Arnold, now officially outside to meet the bustling loud fans.

He rose from his chair, and put the book back in the bag he bought it in and placed it back down on the table. He placed his right hand in his pocket allowing the black jacket to sway and rest behind his arm. He watched how gracefully she walked towards the crowd, and took pictures with her fans and began signing for her book. Very classy. No where near the same person he remembered. For the record, neither was he. The one thing that was strange and true about there relationship, whenever Helga was going through something related to her family, Arnold always tried to help her out by giving her honest advice. Oddly enough, so did Helga. He never really thought about it till now, watching her outside the cafe. Almost flaunting her success in front of him. Normally this would make him feel insecure, but it didn't. Here was Arnold the USED TO BE honest guy...always looking out for everyone else, yet the two people who mattered most to him had died. Was it foolish of him to keep looking for everything he had lost? After he read the journal belonging to his father, as a young man still in high school he couldn't stop thinking about finding them. Once his grandparents died, the boarding house was sold and at 17 years old had to find some place to live. He lived with his best friends parents for awhile until he could find a good paying job and find someplace to live. Unfortunately, he awoke to reality. He had no home, and still had no home. At this point he never did, and somehow he only wanted something warm, comforting, and familiar to him once more even though deep down in his heart, it was never meant to happen.

He breathed a heavy sigh as he mumbled to himself "What the hell"

* * *

Helga walking with the crowd accepting the sudden bombarding of questions like "_Who was that guy? Is he someone you know? Is he your boyfriend? A friend? He's a hunk!_" from paparazzi and fans.

She looked from the corner of her eye and saw Arnold walking calmly towards her his hands in his pockets and his long jacket swaying wistfully behind him.

She then became alarmed, for the way he was walking towards her.

He finally caught up with her as paparazzi and her fans made room for him to reach her as if he commanded the crowd.

Her face filled with shock.

"Ms. Pataki, would you like to do me the honor of calling you sometime?" Arnold suddenly said his voice oozing sex appeal, and he smirked devilishly at her.

Her fans now screaming and the camera still flashing taking both of there pictures. Arnold didn't seem to be phased by the constant flashes of light as he held his composure and his eyes focused intently on her, piercing through her.

Helga was speechless. Her heart jumping for joy, and terrified at why he would behave like this asking her such an outlandish question.

His still focused on hers patiently waiting for her answer.

"Yes Arnold. Yes you can...call me sometime." Helga replied to him almost crying but swallowed the urge to do so.

He smile widened, and his bright blue eyes gleaming against all the flashes of lights and she melted again.

Paparazzi was eating this moment up like an animal devouring prey.

"Then its settled." Arnold stated, still completely relaxed and in control of everything going on around him.

She smiled at him, but now still a bit perplexed by how cool and calm he remained.

"I'll call you actually." Helga replied to him, hoping that he would get the hint to go away...she couldn't stand to see him like this, it made her want to rape him right now under his intense gaze.

Arnold then reached for her hand, grabbed it gently and he slowly kissed it and it made Helga's insides jello and her body now set ablaze by this simple reaction.

"The pleasure is all mine Ms. Pataki. I look forward to it." Arnold replied smirking at her, his voice sounding like honey dripping off a flower. As he slowly let go of her hand, and it fell to her sides before taking one last glance at her that said; "_This was fun._"

He placed his hands in his pockets, turned and began walking poised as he was when she first saw him.

She knew she couldn't stare at him too long, otherwise she would be subject to what paparazzi has to say about this.

Her publicist was going to be pissed. Unfortunately danger lurked around the corner, and it wasn't going to be good.

She continued walking towards her apartment as paparazzi began to flock away in news of another celebrity around in the city.

Once Helga finally reached the doors of her apartment, she collapsed into her bed and fell into a deep sleep.

A couple of hours later she was awoken by the phone ringing.

**- End Of Chapter 1**


	2. Chapter 2: Home

**Chapter 2: Home**

"**ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!**" Her publicist yelled over the phone.

Helga held the phone away from her ear as she began yelling at her, her face now grimaced under her yelling.

"**WHO TOLD YOU TO GO OUT ANYWAYS, ARE YOU TRYING TO GET ME FIRED!**" She yelled as Helga kept holding the phone away from her ear.

"I thought I would get a break, besides I needed coffee whats the big damn deal anyways?" Helga replied nonchalantly.

Silence.

"What am I going to do with you?" Her publicist asked Helga, calmly.

Yeah, she was beyond pissed.

"I'm not too sure, I told you I don't do well with constraints around my neck." Helga replied to her harshly.

"Turn the TV on. **Now!**" Her publicist yelled at her.

Helga scoffed, and did so to the news channel or the entertainment channel that features new and coming celebrities.

Helga's eyes began to widen at what she was hearing.

* * *

_"Hello! This is Tila with breaking entertainment news! This just in, yesterday at approximately 9:12pm the new author of the book "Lost Love's" Helga Pataki was caught at a local coffee shop with a man named Arnold. Is he a boyfriend we knew nothing about? Is he someone related to her? Just who is this man? Lets ask the fans from the scene." They then switched it to a personal interview with a fan who was at the coffee shop. "They stared at each other almost as if they both were in love with each other or something! It was so exciting! From the way he walked out towards her was so thrilling, I almost felt like I was part of a romance novel!" They cut the excited fan short and went back to the news reporter. "These pictures were captured yesterday while they were in the shop." They began showing the pictures of Arnold and Helga staring into each others eyes, and even more pictures of Arnold kissing her hand. It made Helga infuriated. "It almost looks like they were having a deep meaningful conversation that only they would understand. I mean we do know most about her, because she keeps mentioning a man in her dreams that she met when she was younger, do you think this could be the man she keeps speaking of in her novel? I sure hope so!" Tila the newscaster said, as she then introduced her co host which was a flaming gay man. "What do you think Corey? You think this is someone she knows from her past? Or is this a new mystery man?" Tila asked. He began smacking his lips before he replied "I think so, it couldn't possibly be the man she constantly speaks of in her novel. If so, its too much of a coincidence don't you think?" Corey said._

* * *

Helga then shut the television off. She couldn't handle the pressure of everyone disseminating her life before her very eyes. It wasn't what they were saying that hurt, it was them attempting to understand and know her that hurt the most. She did write a novel about herself granted, but she never wanted this much attention.

"Its tough isn't it?" Her publicist said over the phone her voice filled with much seething, the program still playing on her side of the receiver.

Helga said nothing in response, because then that would mean her publicist was right.

"They weren't saying anything too bad." Helga replied to her mustering up the courage to lie.

"Sure they weren't now. Wait till later if this keeps happening." Her publicist said to her, still trying to prove her point to Helga.

"Whatever Jean, its not that big of a deal. Look I'll call you later and let you know when I'm on my way to the office." Helga replied shoving her off, as she then hung up the phone.

"Helg-" Jean tried to say as the phone was cut short.

Helga breathed in a heavy sigh, to clear her thoughts. She did need to get ready to go over to the office to consult with her publicist about what her next move will be to maintain her fame, so she can keep the money coming her way. Last night her dream was about Arnold again, but this time it was not of the boy from her childish days. It was of the man he had grown into...but there was something different and dark about him. Which made him more mature, and not the kind hearted, gentle boy she remembered. Where does he even live now? What kind of life is he leading? She knew nothing of his grandparents death until yesterday, even though he spoke briefly on it. Her heart sank into her stomach at the memory of them, almost making her want to cry.

_"I CLAIM THIS DINNER TABLE IN THE NAME OF SPAIN! OLE!" -POOKIE_

_"POOKIE, DON'T TOUCH THAT!" -PHIL_

_"HEY GET BACK HERE WITH THAT LOCKET!" -PHIL_

She felt a dry lump in her throat begin to bulge as she let her tears flow at the thought of seeing them gray, lifeless in a casket. She was crying not because of her horrible life, but what Arnold had been through after she left. That she couldn't be there for him when he needed her.

She fell to the floor landing on her knees in utter despair as it gripped her entire body tight.

She was not there for the man she loved, and that was her greatest regret in life.

* * *

Arnold awoke to the sound of gun shots in his neighborhood as he jolted from his sleep.

He looked at the clock on the wall: "**5:00am.**" It was like clock work, every day same thing. Gunshots at 5am.

Perhaps that's what he gets for dropping out of high school to continue looking for his parents, yet it got him no where.

Its ironic, everyone thought he was going to be a fighter for justice, or a counselor or something. No. Not this time, he was too ambitious and naive for his own good. Yet here's one of his classmates who used to torture him a successful best seller novel celebrity.

He then rose from his bed, scratching his belly and yawning walking towards the bathroom wearing only his underwear. He looked at himself in the mirror. His blonde hair was messy and tousled, his blue eyes gleaming in the mirror back at him, but he had slight bags under his eyes from his lack of sleep and paranoia. His head still football shaped, and since he would work out in his spare time to avoid having to listen to gunshots and the sound of police sirens; he has broad shoulders, and a naturally muscular chest. He still wore his small blue hat that he has cherished all his life. He then grabbed his hat and looked at it.

Its so small now, it could fit on two of his fingers.

He smirked sarcastically at it, for this one sole thing he cherished led him to his life choice.

He tried to shake away his thoughts, as they made his heart sink a bit.

He thought of Helga, and smiled when he did. Not only because she was the typical story of the ugly duckling, but he smiled at the memory of something familiar. He left his home, and had lost sight of what home really was to him. He hadn't spoken to Gerald since he was constantly out on the streets wallowing into his own despair now the thought struck him to try find a way to begin searching for his parents.

Gerald's family thought it was because Arnold was having a hard time coping with his Grandparents death. That was a huge part of it, but it was because of him finally realizing he was alone. He didn't want to think about it anymore.

He then washed his face, and brushed his teeth.

Walking back to the bed, he looked at the bag next to his bed where Helga's book was.

He decided to sit back down on the bed, and begin reading where he left off.

* * *

_"At that moment, I knew. This would be the boy who would be the center of my world. The one boy who would keep me sane amongst all of my pain growing up as a child. After realizing this overwhelming feeling I had, I blinked my eyes at him then everyone began laughing at me. I had only one choice, and it was the only one I had to make. I shoved Harold and told him to shut up, otherwise he would have to answer to Old Betsy and the Five Avengers. It makes me laugh, because now I realize I had no courage. I was spineless, and unable to be myself. This is what started it all, my love of writing, my love of poetry, and everything artsy. The boy who always invades my dreams...As I progressed through life, everything in my life circled around him. It was the only thing keeping me sane."_

* * *

Arnold now completely enthralled by the book by his mere mention of him, what exactly was she saying? All these years, this book was out and he never knew? All those years of her picking on him was a sign of interest? This completely baffled him for a few more moments.

He could not stop reading.

He couldn't help but notice the main part in the fifth chapter that read;

_"I moved away because I couldn't stand to see him with someone else. The yellow haired boy, who I have known since I was a child. It broke my heart, once and for all. I decided to move, and attempt to abandon all hope. I was completely distraught and in complete despair, almost as if someone died. It brought me back to the one principle I learned as a small three year old child: I am alone, and I always will be."_

Tears began to well in his eyes, for a short moment and he grit his teeth and allowed the sadness he felt inside his heart show, because he knew what it was like to be alone.

Helga was never the type to say how she feels inside her heart, and yet...here she was in her novel, baring all of her.

She wasn't courageous? It was a lie to him. The fact she even had the courage to write down and tell her life to others, was proof enough. Sure he knew about her parents, but he never knew how bad it had gotten over the years. Mr. Pataki loosing his job, and Miriam not being able to find a job, which then lead to Helga moving out from her parents house once she had already moved away from her home. She was out on the streets for a time, just as he was.

Perhaps both of them had more in common than either of them care to let each other know. He wiped his face of the few tears that flowed from his eyes.

He was now able to see her in a whole new light, but he still didn't understand..._Why was she so fascinated with him in the first place?_

* * *

Helga dressed in gray wash jeans and a white tank top, black kitten heeled boots that came to her knees, and a short black pea coat. Her long blonde hair was down laying on her shoulders, as she wore no makeup. She knew meeting up with her publicist meant another event she had to attend which required her hair and makeup done, if not now then soon.

Helga walked into the office with tall glass doors with steel handles.

Jean was sitting in her office on the phone with some other client, an older woman in her mid forties, brown hair in a pulled up pony tail, tight pale skin probably from botox or some beauty secret unknown to Helga. Her face had her normal natural makeup making her look airbrushed.

As soon as Helga walked into the room, she finished her phone conversation and looked at Helga shrewdly.

Obviously she was still upset.

"Okay, see you then. Bye. So, Helga...what have we learned about your little stunt yesterday?" Jean said, her green eyes piercing through her making Helga feel a bit guilty and uncomfortable.

She should have known better, she chose this type of job, and knew the consequences of it.

"No public appearances unless said otherwise, right. I suppose I can't take a dump without your consent either right?" Helga replied to her snarky, and sounding rather more like herself. It felt good for once.

Jean chuckled at her, for she understood Helga's humor.

"Well gee, I'm just your publicist not a Drill SGT." Jean replied to Helga's snarky remark, allowing a smile to pass her lips.

Helga smiled back at her, as she took a seat.

"Soooooo, who was that guy? He did look a lot like the boy you described in your novel!" Jean said, her attitude shifting greatly now acting as her best friend instead of someone there to do a job.

Helga began shaking her head at her.

"Jean your ridiculous, but if you **MUST** know. His name is Arnold, he's someone I grew up with up until I moved around 7th grade." Helga replied now flushing at the thought of him from yesterday.

His blue eyes set her on fire making her cheeks hot, his touch is electric and made her womanhood clench, and his voice made her melt and all the more ready to attack him. Even after 12-15 years ish of being away from him, its like she never truly forgot him.

Jean stared into Helga, trying to pry her thoughts.

"He is the same guy from your novel isn't he?" Jean said simply knowing it was the truth for Helga. The good thing about Jean being older was that she had this amazing ability to read people, otherwise she wouldn't be good at her job.

"No! I mean..." Helga began defensively, but decided to drop the argument, because there really is no beating an older woman's wisdom. Damn Helga for writing about him and making it public, what happened to the good old days when I would just pick on football head and keep it my deepest darkest secret, Helga thought to herself.

"Well now, isn't that interesting" Jean said to her smiling a wide smile.

Helga blushed in response.

"Anyways, I have you booked for a signing in Boarders off of 8th street, Barnes & Nobles on main street, and later an evening party that Beyonce is having around 10pm. First thing is first, shopping for an evening gown then your signings, you may have one friend accompany you while shopping if you wish." Jean said smiling, gesturing to Helga to have him shop with her.

"Okay, well what time are my signings?" Helga asked not getting the hint of a shopping partner.

Jean scoffed in response to her.

"First signing is at 10am, then the next one is at 2pm so that gives you some time in between depending on how long your signings take, so lets get you off to hair and makeup." Jean said, now giving up on the partner shopping gesture from earlier.

"Wait, you said I can take someone shopping with me?" Helga replied now picking up what Jean said earlier.

Jean smiled back at her.

"If you like, I could call him and ask him to accompany you" Jean replied to her smiling warmly at Helga.

Helga blushed at now understanding who she was referring to, but said nothing to her.

"Its decided, I'll place the call and get a limo for you." Jean said to her confirming it.

Helga looked like she had lost all blood in her face.

"As far as I'm concerned, I'm doing you a favor. The only reason I blew up at you earlier was because I thought it was just someone you met and get the media talking making my job harder, but lets go with it. I'll back you up no matter what happens, besides what were the odds of you meeting him again anyways?" Jean said to her proving a rather valid point.

The whole reason Helga wrote her book was because she thought he would never read it, plus she needed the money at the time.

"Blair, could you send in the limo for Helga, she needs to go shopping for an evening gown and invite the man she was last seen with yesterday, find him, contact him and see if he will accept the offer." Jean said sternly to her assistant.

Helga wanted to stop her, or say something but it was all too much to handle at one time as the words would not come out.

"Shoo! You have to get into hair and makeup! The limo will be ready when your done. You'll thank me for this later." Jean said to Helga sensing her doubt and blatant discomfort.

Helga stormed out of the office, walking towards the separate room that had her makeup artist and hair stylist waiting for her.

She sat in the chair, as they began to work on her for her coming shopping trip and the rest of the day.

* * *

Arnold had just got finished working out, wearing no shirt and his muscular chest gleaming with sweat, now only wearing sweat pants that hung loosely at his hips. He was outside his apartment on the patio, allowing the cool air to brush against his face and cool him off, as he was smoking a cigarette that hung loosely from his lips now contemplating his own thoughts. The old Arnold would be against smoking, but ever since his grandparents death he was never the same.

He leaned against the dingy brick wall nearest the entrance to his small apartment as he inhaled the nicotine and exhaled allowing it to calm him. The cold solid brick pressing against his arm, and his hands tucked into the pocket nearest the wall, and the other hand occupying his cigarette. He closed his eyes inhaling the cigarette and exhaling as he became lost in his own thoughts.

Everything that day changed for him, after seeing both Pookie and Grandpa in that encased casket before placing them both in the ground. Dead. Lifeless. No more of the niceness he had spent most of his years learning from them both.

He began gritting his teeth at the memory.

He inhaled his cigarette again as the nicotine filled his lungs and relaxed him a bit more.

The phone ring from behind the glass door that separated his patio into the living room.

Arnold finally opened his eyes and turned his eyes to look towards it without moving his head, as he inhaled one last time of his cigarette and flicked it out over the patio walking back into his apartment.

He looked at the caller ID and the number read _Unknown_.

This made him panic a bit on the inside, as he answered the phone.

* * *

"Who is this?" Arnold spoke his paranoia now showing. No one ever calls him unless it was for a job he needed to complete.

"Hello, this is Jean. Helga's publicist, are you the man she was last seen with yesterday? Arnold?" Jean said to him over the phone.

"Speaking. How did you get this number?" He snapped harshly at her.

Jean chuckled over the phone at his snappy harsh tone.

"Its my job to know this kind of information sir. I am calling you because Helga would like for you to accompany her for a shopping trip, would you be interested in joining her?" Jean said to him.

Arnold was insulted.

"I see, Ms. Pataki is too narcissistic to pickup the damn phone and call me herself? " Arnold replied now angry, even though his voice was cool, and calm.

Jean had to regain herself for a moment as she seemed to be open gaped at the mans inquisition, not paying attention to the short shiver that went down her spine at his words.

"She's in hair and makeup currently and is unable to get to the phone, which is why I am making the call for her. Would you like to join her or not?" Jean asked him again once more.

Even though Arnold did want to join her, if it was one thing he learned in this life and in all things, was his pride.

"I will not be accompanying her. Tell her that when she's finished having her head up her ass that she may speak with me then." Arnold replied back to her coolly but harshly, as he hung up the phone and tossed it on the floor and it made a thud.

Who does she think she is? Having her publicist call him like that? He was insulted, by someone he thought he knew.

Perhaps, time changed both of them.

* * *

"What did he say?" Helga said to Jean almost really happily. Jean began shaking her head.

"Are you sure its the same sweet guy you described in your novel? He was nothing like him." Jean said to Helga.

"What do you mean?" Helga said now concerned and worried.

"He said call him when your finished, but would not accept my offer when I called him. I mean never in my career have I had that happen before." Jean replied to her, almost looking baffled by his reaction. Helga didn't know how to discern this new knowledge.

"Give me the phone, I'll set football head straight" Helga replied returning back to her old ways.

"Football head?" Jean said looking confused. Helga shoved it away.

"Nickname." Helga said, as Jean passed her the phone. Helga pressed the redial button and the phone began to ring.

* * *

"Stop. Calling. Me." Arnold snapped on the other end, his words pronounced and precise.

"Football head!" Helga yelled over the phone.

Arnold was silent for a few moments.

"Hello Ms. Pataki, was it fun having your ass kissed? I'm assuming it was, seeing as your too damn lazy to pickup the phone and call someone your damn self." Arnold snapped at her again, allowing his anger to show.

Helga was taken aback, he has changed. It made her heart sink and almost sad.

"Well, I called and now I'm hanging up." Helga replied about to hang up the phone.

"Wait-" Arnold said to her, sounding earnest.

"What now? I swear your such a doe head! Stupid football head" Helga said calmly but snappy as well.

Arnold chuckled over the phone sounding a bit warm now. Normally these kinds of insults would make him upset, now he laughs at them? This is completely different.

"I'm assuming I have to be presentable, Ms. Pataki?" Arnold replied to her now calm.

Helga smiled.

"Yes football head, you do. Why do you think I was in hair and makeup for more than a half hour?" Helga said to him allowing her normal disdain for this type of job show in her voice.

She could hear him smiling over the phone.

"As you wish, I'll see you in a few hours." Arnold said to her still sounding as if he had a smile over the phone.

"Yeah yeah, see you soon." Helga replied nonchalantly as she hung up the phone. She stared at the phone that was in her hands.

Who was that man? That could not have been the man she had been in love with all those years? The man she had been constantly dreaming about her whole life.

Jean began snapping her fingers at Helga to break her from her thoughts.

"Helga, your limo is ready." Jean said to her.

"Oh, right. Well, wish me luck." Helga said as she walked out the office towards the outside of the building where the limo was waiting for her.

**- End Of Chapter 2**


	3. Chapter 3: Helga's World

**Chapter 3: Helga's World**

Helga hopped in the limo, looking into the mirror that stared back at her. Her makeup was flawless as she looked airbrushed as well.

Her cheeks were coral pink, her lipstick color was a deep red, and her eye shadow colors were a matte silver, white near the inner corner of her eyes, and a tint of black on the corners of her eyes blended into the creases. It looked more evening, but perhaps it was because of the party she needed to attend to later. Her hair was pulled up into a twisted bun, with a few curly tresses falling near her face. She almost couldn't believe how she looked.

She never really did makeup, and if she did it was just eye liner, and mascara and lipstick. Her brows were trimmed down, and filled in to complete her look on top of wearing false lashes making her eyes look brighter and more wide when the sun hit her face.

She wasn't that dorky awkward girl she remembered herself to be, and Arnold wasn't the kind boy she remembered. So much had change, she had hoped not too much...it was all she had in her world right now.

* * *

Arnold now dressed in a crisp button down collared shirt, loose black colored jeans, and a long black coat that ended at his knees. He wore his square rimless glasses, which he decided to get them with a prescription, but then stole them afterwards when the shop closed.

Unfortunately trying to provide for yourself with skills in other fields didn't get you very far.

His blonde hair was slicked back, and he wore his usual small blue hat. Even though he had pondered getting rid of it, somewhere in his heart he couldn't. Was it because he was holding onto the past? Or was it because he was too much of a coward to let the future happen. Either way, he decided to keep it.

He stood outside lighting his cigarette and decided to relax into his thoughts until Helga arrived.

He glanced up at the sky, gray and gloomy with clouds leering over him. It was chilly outside, since it was late October.

He inhaled his cigarette and watched one neighbor walk past him with his dog. He reeked of alcohol, and weed.

Arnold said nothing to him as he passed by. That's just the way it was out where he lived, shitty.

He wondered how Helga would take all of this, seeing as he lived in a dingy run down area of a neighborhood. Yet, for some reason he couldn't help but think...why did she write about him? It seemed like it was staring him in the face, but he was never one to jump to conclusions or make assumptions, that's the shit that got you killed. At some point, he was going to ask her; Why did she want to ask him to come shopping with her anyways? As rich as she is, she could probably just snap her fingers and get someone to go with her.

He began gritting his teeth at the thought of it. It made him sick to his stomach to know that she may have changed in such a way, where there worlds were completely different from each other. It made him sick, because Helga was all he had left of his memories of the once called home he left so many years ago.

Perhaps they both have changed too much for either of them to remember...and deep down, he really hoped she didn't.

* * *

The limo pulled up, as Arnold finished his cigarette and flicked it the opposite direction.

A limo? Really? For Helga? This is too much, Arnold thought to himself.

Someone came out from the front seat, and opened the door for him and said "Hello, Mr. Arnold." Arnold payed him no attention and hopped in, not glancing at Helga.

Helga began to scoot over to make room for him. Arnold finally turned to look at her, and his insides were knots at the sight of her.

Flawless skin, bright brown eyes sparkled even though the weather was awful.

She finally smiled at him before she spoke.

"Hey." Helga said warmly.

Arnold merely kept staring intently at her, saying nothing to her.

"Hello! Hey football head!" Helga said to Arnold trying to hold back a smile.

Arnold blinked in response.

"Yes, Ms. Pataki? Whats the occasion?" Arnold said warmly to her attempting to regain his composure, but his eyes still focused on her.

"Party later on tonight, after I go to my signings for my book." Helga said sounding almost sad.

"I can tell your unhappy but believe me Ms. Pataki, this job is a cake walk." Arnold replied to her, leaning back against the soft white leather seat.

His posture was open and eyes were closed.

"You never found a job? I mean, you were the one always giving advice to everyone in our class about honesty and all that crap" Helga said to him jokingly. She looked at him for a brief moment and saw his eyes opened responding to what she said looking pained and deeply sad, as if carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

He blinked it away quickly, and began chuckling cynically to himself. Was he really this cynical now?

"Life was so much easier then..." Arnold replied to her allowing his sad expression to return to his blue eyes. His eye color shifted slightly allowing her to easily notice the change in his moods, they were now a muddled blue, almost like a navy blue. He looked at her and smiled warmly.

"At least one of us made it." Arnold said sounding really sarcastic.

She wasn't sure if he meant to sound sarcastic, but it did.

"Arnold..." Helga began to say, and Arnold stared into her listening intently.

Helga looked down into her lap, she needed the courage to say what she was going to say.

"It was supposed to be you that made it, not me. You used to care about people, and help others...what-" Helga said, but was cut short by Arnold raising his hand and his face grimacing.

"**Don't.** Ask me that. I may or I may not tell you, but my grief is my grief alone, and no one else's." Arnold said, sounding serious looking into her, now his bright blue eyes mere slits.

Helga attempted to hold back tears, now truly saddened by what he had said.

Arnold looked at her stunned for a moment, as his face warmed up to her now filled with concern.

"Why have you been crying, Helga?" Arnold said, his voice now gentle.

"What? Are you kidding me? No! Of course not! Why would I cry? I'm Helga G Pataki!" Helga replied to him, attempting to shove him off and choke back her tears.

His eyes pierced right through her, and seared her very flesh.

Helga then chuckled under her breath.

"I had no idea okay? You weren't the only one who knew your Grandparents, I knew them too okay? There, satisfied now? Stupid football head" Helga admitted to him finally, looking away from him.

She couldn't see the expression on his face, but she didn't want to know. She had finally allowed herself to be vulnerable to the one man she loved her whole life.

Arnold then swiftly reached for her shoulder, and gently turned Helga towards him.

Helga was not sobbing or anything, just one tear fell down her cheek.

Sure everyone around the neighborhood grieved for him about his grandparents, but they all had moved on with there lives. Yet here was the very woman who picked on him for years of his life...shedding tears for the only members of his family he had ever grown to know and love. She had changed, and for the better.

"You remember when I said, I had a feeling your probably a nice, normal, sensitive person, and one day you wont be afraid to show it?" Arnold said to Helga his voice gentle and empathetic.

Helga looked shocked at his memory of that day when he said that. Sure she would remember, how could she not remember how she schemed her way into playing Juliet so she could kiss him, why did he remember?

She blinked the shock and the tear away from her eye, now feeling completely embarrassed.

Helga nodded her head in response to him.

Arnold smiled warmly at her before he spoke again.

"I guess I won that bet, right Helga." Arnold said, his smile now turning into a smug look, almost like he won some secret bet between the two of them.

"Oh shut up!" Helga barked at him her face turning red, as she pushed his hand away.

They both began laughing together at the same time.

* * *

"Were here Ms. Pataki." The driver finally said. They both stopped laughing, and they both looked at each other for a moment.

"You ready to be in the public football head?" Helga said to Arnold, almost as if talking to a child.

"Whenever you are, Ms. Pataki." Arnold spoke, condescendingly and confident at her challenge.

Helga smirked at him as she opened the limo door and was soon greeted by sudden flashes of lights from all the press taking pictures of her.

Arnold followed shortly behind her, only this time he handled himself very well.

He smiled warmly under the scrutiny and constant flashes of light from the photographers and the press.

He remained calm, cool, and collected.

Arnold followed behind Helga swiftly and precisely, as he allowed Helga to answer all the questions being thrown at her.

"**_Ms. Pataki! Who is this guy your with? Ms. Pataki! Where are you headed today? Ms. Pataki! Is he your boyfriend? Ms. Pataki! How long have you been together?_**" Arnold began getting a headache from the constant flashes of lights, and felt a little light headed but still remained in his calm composure.

Helga smiled warmly at the press and answered each of there questions which he was curious to hear.

"This guy his name is Arnold. I'm headed to do some shopping for Beyonce's fabulous party later this evening. No he is not my boyfriend. I've known him..." She stopped herself as she looked at him, she seemed to ignore all the flashes. Perhaps she was used to it.

She exchanged a look with him which said "_Should I tell them the truth?_" Arnold smirked at her, and jerked his head slightly upwards and back down as if his own way of responding to her "_Go Ahead._" Helga smiled warmly at him and looked back at the press resuming the same smile.

"All my life."

The press began getting louder and more rowdy at her response to the last question. Helga then gracefully and courteously said "Thank you, no further questions" as she walked away towards the store she wished to shop at, and Arnold followed closely behind her allowing his jacket to sway behind him.

He was amazed at her grace, and classiness that she exuberated.

* * *

They finally arrived in the store, and she was greeted by a man.

"Hello Darling! You look fabulous as always, what can I do you in for?" The man replied to her kissing Helga on both cheeks as they greeted each other.

Arnold stood rigid and focused behind Helga not saying anything. He was only a mere observer of her world. Even though it made him sick to his stomach.

"Aaaaaand who is thiiiiiiis?" The man began to say emphasizing his words speaking with Helga.

Helga began to introduce him, but was cut short by Arnold smiling and introducing himself to him.

"Hi, I'm Arnold. I'm Ms. Pataki's friend" Arnold said as charming as he could, taking the mans hand and shaking it firmly.

Helga looked stunned at Arnold's behavior, he was adjusting better than she thought.

"Well! Aren't you just the cutest thing!" The man replied to him his arms flailing towards him. Arnold then tucked his hands in his pockets, and stood firm under the scrutiny.

Helga couldn't help but giggle under her breath.

"Would you like anything to drink? Wine? Sparkling Water? Or Champagne?" The man said to Helga seeming generous to her.

"Champagne please, and I'm looking for a FABULOUS evening gown for Beyonces party tonight. I'm a bit on a time crunch though, I have some signings to be to today." Helga said to the man knowing he would do his job well.

"Alright, I'll take your coats" The man said offering to take both there coats and hang them up as he disappeared.

Helga then grabbed Arnold by his arm and dragged him to sit down towards the nearest fitting room.

Arnold kept getting all kinds of looks from the women and flaming gay men in the store. He felt...like a woman. Well, as far as the constant looks and being eyed at as Helga was leading him to the fitting room.

They sat, and finally he had a moment of peace. Helga could tell his feathers were ruffled a bit, it was a lot to take in. It was something she had gotten used to.

Arnold then rested his elbows on his knee's and allowed his posture to fall forward.

Helga felt the need to say something, just didn't know what yet.

"How do you put up with that shit?" Arnold said, his voice taking Helga by surprise at the deepness and suddenness of it.

Once she regathered herself, she chuckled under her breath.

"Too much to handle?" Helga said her face getting closer to his, with a smug look on his face. He turned to look at her and smirked at her.

"Not in the least Ms. Pataki, however what I need is a beer and a good steak." Arnold replied to her, his voice maintaining its depth and oozing sexiness. Helga's jaw dropped a bit.

Arnold now picking up on her reaction decided to say something, and toy with her a bit.

"Too much to handle?" Arnold said smirking at her, cunningly, his voice husky and deep, his eyes trailing from her eyes downward slowly, and back to her face. There he goes using that damn voice again, like maple syrup, dark, rich, smooth, and sweet.

Helga turned a beet red, and looked away from him.

Arnold chuckled under his breath sardonically not wanting to disturb the other people.

"Oh you stupid football head" Helga barked at him, hitting him with her small fists. Arnold began laughing a bit louder, and Helga stopped shortly after the man brought there champagne over.

He stared at them both, looking oddly first at Arnold, then at Helga.

"Here you are Ms. Pataki, I'll go and grab some dresses for you" The man said scurrying off and looking around the store for her.

"He knows your size?" Arnold said to Helga completely baffled by this new way to shop.

He thought it was just walking in, find what you were looking for, grab it, and check out. He hated shopping, but anything to get out of the God awful neighborhood he lives in and to stop the faces he saw in his nightmares.

He's actually a bit surprised that Helga hasn't said anything about where he lives.

Helga smiled at him.

"His name is Louis, and he always finds the best thing, and they have the best Champagne. You overwhelmed at all? I know this is not your world...at all really..." Helga said to him smiling at first, then her face grim with sadness.

Arnold turned to look at her, and notice the grim look on her face; he really was right about her all those years ago.

Arnold breathed in a heavy sigh before speaking allowing himself to relax as he took a sip of the bubbling champagne.

"Yes this is not my world at all, mine is much darker. I assume I stick out more than usual?" Arnold asked simply.

Helga smiled warmly at him, still conflicted by his last comment. What did he mean his world was darker than hers? She decided to shove it aside, before speaking.

"Well, yeah...but I mean, its not like this is my thing either. Its a job, and I live comfortably, away from my abusive father Bob and my lack of a mother Miriam. Not to mention Olga, ugh she couldn't stand the idea of me being more successful than she is. You would think after all those years, that we had finally gotten somewhere, that she really did want to try and be my sister. But hey, I was always better at pretending than you were" Helga said turning towards him, and his look completely intent on every word she was saying.

Her heart skipped a beat, and his eyes looking at her made her melt. Goddamn her for being in love with him...even now.

Arnold finally smiled, a rather smug and all knowing smile.

"Perhaps we are more alike than we both like to let on. Ms. Pataki" Arnold said, now looking into Helga. Not at her, into her.

There eyes locked for what seemed like hours again. Exchanging a conversation that only they would understand. Helga saw longing in his eyes, and Arnold saw the same longing that matched his own. Both of them carrying a trace of a small smile on both of there lips. Helga's mouth grew dry under the piercing of his eyes, until they were interrupted.

"Uh hum" The man said breaking there silent conversation. They broke eye contact, and Helga now completely bashful and Arnold remained composed as if unaffected by his interruption. Helga decided to speak first to break the awkwardness.

"What did you find?" Helga said to the man, and not looking at Arnold at all.

"This!" The man said, as he pulled out an elegant red mermaid style dress. Strapless, tight dress that would hug her body and show off her curves, big ruffles towards the bottom of the dress which started expanding around the knees. Helga gasped in delight at the mere sight of it.

"Go try it on!" The man said, as he handed Helga the dress and shoved her into the dressing room.

Arnold merely sat there not moving, just waiting till she was finished. A few moments passed before Helga spoke.

"It fits!" Helga yelled from the dressing room, practically squealing with delight.

Arnold was paying her no attention seeming lost in his own thoughts.

Helga forcefully pushed the curtains to the side as she stood confidently and placed a hand on her hip.

Arnold now compelled to look at her, could not take his eyes off of her.

Her hair was still up in the bun with tiny curly pieces of blonde hair falling around her face. Her figure was incredible. Her breasts were tastefully filling out the top part of the dress, and the dress hugged her every curve making her look shapely and very womanly. The Goddess Athena could do this woman no justice in his eyes, at this moment.

Helga raised one eyebrow and looked at Arnold and smirked confidently at him before she spoke.

"Well, judging from your expression this one is a winner I take it?" Helga said, still smiling at him.

Arnold blinked his surprise away again, and regained his composure before speaking. He then placed one elbow on his knee, leaned forward his movements slow and precise, while placing his fingers on his face and looked intently at her, his eyes looking her up and down like a lion after his prey, and spoke;

"Why Helga, you look purty enough to be the queen of the cheese festival." Arnold said charmingly imitating a country voice, his eye brow raising slightly, but had a slight snicker under his breath as a small smile then played upon his lips.

Helga burst out laughing at the memory, as did Arnold.

"Why thank you Arnold, or Stinky." She replied still laughing at his joke.

Helga turned towards Louis.

"I'll take it. Here's my card, just ring me for the dress and hand me the receipt as I'm getting undressed" Helga said to him, as she reached for her credit card and then shut the curtain to change. Arnold was still snickering to himself, that was a good save. Besides, he did talk to Stinky when he did claim to be in love with Helga, and he told Arnold what he had said to her.

Helga quickly changed into her normal clothes as Louis came back with the receipt for her to sign, Helga signed it and they wrapped the dress and told her that they would send the dress to Helga's apartment before the party.

They returned to the Limo and Helga not realizing the time, didn't have time to take Arnold back home.

"Do you have anywhere to be today?" Helga asked him rather frantically.

"No. Why?" Arnold asked her curious.

Helga breathed a sigh before speaking.

"Well I have 2 book signings I need to be to, you wouldn't mind tagging along would you?" Helga asked, sounding really earnest.

Arnold knew it was because she didn't want to be alone for today.

Arnold smiled warmly at her before speaking.

"No Ms. Pataki, I don't mind at all. As long as time away from the flashing lights and food is in the itinerary, consider me a guest that will be attending." Arnold replied to her seeming nonchalant, his voice matter of factly.

Helga smiled and breathed a huge sigh of relief.

"Sounds good to me, I don't even know what being away from paparazzi is like...except for that night I saw you in the coffee shop. But I'm totally down myself, I need a mini vacation away from everything. Alright, Driver step on it." Helga said to the driver, as they began to pick up speed already knowing where they were going.

Arnold began to fall back on the leather seats of the car, and decided to shut his eyes. It had been so long since he dreamed, seeing as he didn't get much sleep much now these days.

**- End Of Chapter 3**


	4. Chapter 4: Ms Pataki

**Chapter 4: Ms. Pataki**

Arnold awoke to the sound of the limo stopping abruptly, as Helga shook him awake from his slumber. He awoke quickly, and began gathering himself quickly looking alarmed.

"Were here, do you think you could just...I don't know...well, shop or something, sorry" Helga said to him sounding really apologetic, making an "_oops I'm sorry face._"

He couldn't help but smile at her warmly.

"Sure." Arnold spoke simply, now walking out of the limo following Helga closely behind into the huge bustling book store. It was filled with fans everywhere.

Helga was escorted away from Arnold into the crowd where the stand was set up for her to give a speech and then begin the signing of her purchased books. At least that's all he knew about these kinds of events.

Helga gracefully stood on the podium to give a word to all her screaming fans that kept yelling "_**Ms. Pataki! I love you!**_"

The room silenced as she grabbed the mike from security. She stood poised and breathing a heavy sigh before she spoke.

Arnold stood firmly standing a good distance away from her as he began crossing his arms and intently watching her, and listening.

"I want to thank all of you for coming out to meet me, it is a true honor and it is because of your love and dedication that I stand here today. It is because of all of you, that I live to write. Thank you." Helga said, using her cool, calm voice.

To any normal person her speech would have seemed detached and methodic. However Arnold was able to pick up some truth in what she had said, and some emotion. She had grown into her emotions after all. It was really hard to believe this was the same woman that tortured him all those years when they were in school together.

She sat down and the line began to have them sign her book as she answered questions about her book. Arnold decided to be funny and have some fun of his own, and take his copy of the purchased book and stand in line to have her sign his, after all it was a book signing.

He could hear the distant chatter from the fans as Helga was signing each book from each fan.

"_**Your a brave woman, and I hope to be a famous writer like you**_" one fan said, and Helga smiled warmly at her, not like her fake smile she had practiced many times in the mirror.

One more fan left before his turn. Its a good thing Helga didn't notice him, which allowed him to bombard her with the only God awful probing question in his mind all day.

It was his turn, and the fans who had stepped to the sidelines began whispering indistinctly about him, probably because they saw him on the news or something.

"Name?" Helga said as Arnold handed her the book.

He smirked widely at her.

"Arnold. So tell me Ms. Pataki...who is that yellow haired boy you keep speaking of in your book and so lovingly might I add" Arnold finally asked her.

Helga jolted and almost knocked the coffee over on the table and the book almost falling out of her hands.

Now the whispers were getting louder.

Helga had lost all blood in her face.

Helga then quickly decided to sign the book not looking at him, and handed it back to him instead of giving him a response.

She was avoiding him, and he knew it.

"Never mind Ms. Pataki, it was only a question." Arnold replied to her non responsiveness.

He then took the book, and stepped to the sidelines with all the other fans. Arnold finally decided to take his jacket off and relax a bit, seeing as he was going to be here for a little while. The fans that were whispering earlier, seemed to get louder once he took his jacket off. He could tell one of them was going to get the courage to ask him if he had a girlfriend. Judging by the way they were squealing after all.

"Excuse me, but are you the man that Ms. Pataki is referring to in her book? And if so, do you have a girlfriend?" One older fan asked him, after tapping him on the shoulder to get his attention. He smiled warmly at her, before answering her question not allowing his irritation to show.

"No, and No. I'm flattered, however I'm not interested." He replied to her as gently as he could muster to say it.

She pouted her lip in sadness.

"Well, you are a very good looking guy" She replied to him turning that frown and pouted lip to a smile, as she walked away to join her older friends.

Arnold decided to go outside and smoke a cigarette, he needed some fresh air away from all this pretending to be proper bullshit.

* * *

Helga saw it, the fan who had hit on him. She heard it, yet she was very surprised at how well he handled himself. Gentle, yet harsh in his words at least from what she could tell.

As she was signing the books, she allowed her mind to drift into the earlier events of today.

She was so embarrassed she cried in front of him, and even so...shes been completely vulnerable to him most of the day. How did he have that effect on her, when she hadn't seen him in years? Yet they seemed like good friends. She just couldn't wait to get away from all this fame and constant mask covering. Its now almost to the point where she barely even recognizes the person she see's in the mirror anymore. One thing does stand true, she lives for her fans. She lives to write, and to help. Who knew that her being so nice in the beginning would get her to fame. At first she only began writing to make a dollar to pay her sister Olga back for paying for Helga to live in a motel for months at a time. Had Helga known what Arnold was going to go through, she would have stayed behind...but she couldn't see him with another woman, keeping her secret was killing her slowly but surely. It was fine when she was 9 years old, but it got harder and harder when they would have there non tried moments of basic conversation. Then they both went there separate ways. Here she was now 28 years old, and a successful famous writer all because of her trying to pay her sister back.

Yet Arnold, having his grandparents die must have destroyed everything for him. She at least had a family, sure Arnold may have talked about honesty, morality, love, faith, and all those things as a child. But little did she or he knew that it was because of the existence of his grandparents that he even believed in all that stuff in the first place.

There's a darkness in his eyes that she couldn't put her finger on, whatever it was...it scared her. Made her shiver all the way down to the very core of her soul. Yet she still held these feelings for him deep down, was it because she was holding onto the boy he used to be hoping he would come back? Judging from the way he is now, he didn't have time to cope with his grandparents deaths. In fact, it drove him to all his later life decisions. At least that's what she knew. What she wouldn't give to know what he thought about her, what she wouldn't give to know what that darkness in his eyes holds, and why. She was still drawn to him, like a moth to candle light.

Even the way he stands is different, back then it was an awkward honest do goody stance. Now its serious, rigid, and almost cold. His gait as graceful as a lioness catching prey, and his eyes have the ferociousness of a ravenous piranha, it made her shiver when she thought about it.

Thinking back on when she first picked him up, how did he end up living there? Sure it looked a lot like the motel she lived in, but much much worse; It had graffiti drawings everywhere and she heard gunshots, police cars, and ambulances in the distance. Patios had rust on them, the grass was dead brown, and filled with cigarette butts and the place reeked with the smell of alcohol, garbage, and weed. Prostitutes were standing on the corner before she took the turn to the apartment. It was deeply disturbing, and almost heart wrenching.

She didn't mean to cry in front of him, but she couldn't help it. She loved him, and still does after all these years. It was all he ever held onto in her life. Some would think it was childish, which it was...however in her life, he was the only person who seemed to look right through to who she really was.

He said so earlier, and she smiled at the thought in her head. Perhaps he was right. She noticed he had been studying her most of the day, and became really nervous under his gaze. It made her throat go dry, and her stomach were nothing but knots on the inside. She still couldn't get past his comment of how he needed beer or whiskey, and she noticed when she pulled up that he was smoking. When did that happen? Helga was so confused, heart broken, and helplessly still in love with him. What was this dark world he kept referring to? It drove her insane not knowing.

She had been doing a good job of avoiding that conversation with him for most of the day. Until he asked her that question. She was hopefully assuming he didn't read her book, but of course life just has a funny of way of proving her hopes wrong from time to time. She didn't know how to answer that question, because if she did it would mean she would've had to admit to him...to his face, that she is still in love with him and that the whole reason she picked on him all those years up to 7th grade...was because she loved him and was too shy to tell him.

This was going to be the last thing she admitted, even though she wanted nothing else but to just be by his side, and ease the heavy suffering she could feel in his heart. Oh, curse this world for having me fall in love with a boy I've known all my life and may never have the courage to tell him.

* * *

Arnold stood outside the bookstore, and stared at the sky. It was midday, so the sun was at its highest. It was still chilly outside, which made for a perfect time to light a cigarette, it tasted better when it was chilly outside.

Arnold stepped into the shade leaning against the building as he lit his cigarette, and inhaled deeply allowing the nicotine to relax him, almost finally feeling like he had been put back in his element of comfort.

Who knew her job was so hard. Too much impression management if you asked him, but hey...he would do it for the money. He's done worse things for money which he cares not to think about now. The worst part is...he didn't care anymore. He was dead on the inside, and has been for as long as he knew.

Severed ties from his home to search for what he couldn't see. The only clue he had of his parents. Not only did he waste most of the money his grandparents had left him to travel to search for the tribe where his parents were, he dropped out of school and had been in and out since his grandparents death. Gerald tried to warn Arnold of all the dangers of the world, until he finally moved out and made that one trip out of the country to search for the lost tribe...and What he saw, had officially murdered what ever niceness, or morality he held onto as a child.

He closed his eyes as he inhaled more of his cigarette, and blew out. He looked at his watch, wondering if she was done yet.

The only thing he was looking forward to at this point was getting away from all this damn pressure to be perfect. He finished his cigarette, and flicked it off into the street as he began walking back into the bookstore swiftly, his jacket swaying behind him.

* * *

A few hours after first book signing, they headed to the next book signing, both of them sat in silence most of the car ride. Perhaps it was because both of them knew they couldn't talk the way they really wanted to unless they were away from the press.

Helga did the same thing for the next few hours from the second book signing, and now having left she hopped in the limo and plopped herself in the back of the limo completely pooped and exhausted.

Arnold felt the need to do the same, but refrained from doing so seeing as he didn't sleep much and if he did it wasn't sleep, only rest.

Helga then just remembered the party she was supposed to attend tonight. Now she was frantic in the back seat of the limo trying to figure out what to do.

"Whats on your mind, Ms. Pataki?" Arnold said, still laying back with his arms crossed behind his head, turning to look at her nonchalantly.

"I don't know what to do, I have to go...and I may have to drop you off." Helga said, a twinge of sadness in her voice.

"Meet me afterwards." Arnold said simple and rather matter of factly, his posture now changing and focused solely on her.

"Fine, we'll do that" Helga said, smiling finally. Arnold tried to ignore her smile, and how infectious it was to him.

They said nothing more, as they drove back to drop Arnold off to his apartment.

Arnold hopped out of the limo not waiting for the driver to get out of his seat.

"It was a very nice time, and I look forward to seeing you on the television screen Ms. Pataki." Arnold said standing outside the car looking back at Helga.

She snickered and giggled at him.

"See you later football head" Helga said to him jokingly, and Arnold smiled.

"Later." Arnold said back to her, almost as if exchanging a promise between the two of them.

Arnold shut the door and began walking back towards his apartment.

Helga didn't have time to think about him right now, if she did...it would mess up her plans for the night. She figured they would finally talk to each other about everything later.

Helga told the driver to drive back to her apartment as she then phoned for her hair and makeup artist to do a retouch so she would be perfect for the party.

* * *

Arnold watched the limo drive away from the driveway from his patio, now allowing his paranoia to set back in. The last thing he wants to happen now is someone try to rob him, seeing as everyone in the neighborhood saw him get into a limo earlier this morning. He walked back into his apartment and began undressing himself and changed into his sweat pants and red button down shirt that hung open to show a peek of his chest.

Compared to what he was surrounded by all day, his apartment really did look like the most god awful place to live in. The carpet was shag brown, which felt grainy underneath your feet, the walls were dirty, moldy, and had torn pieces off of it. He only had a bathroom, a half kitchen and not a full one, and a small living room. No extra room where the bed room would be, so the bed was in the living room along with the television even though he rarely watched it. He decided to pick up Helga's book and continue reading where he left off.

The book began painting a picture, of a eighteen year old girl with blonde hair, who lived in a motel and had asked her older sister for money to make sure she had some place to live. He was baffled and intrigued at what Olga had claimed to have said to Helga.

* * *

_"I swear you are completely worthless Helga, just like daddy always says. Why can't you be a good girl, and get married to a rich man like me? Plus I also graduated from college, you would have known that had you not abandoned home" Olga had said to Helga over the phone._

_"**Of course Olga, because its always been about you! Everyone loves you and hates me! Well guess what, I'm not taking the easy path, because this is the path that I chose for myself that I intend to keep going. So either you be a good sister like you said you would be so many years ago, and help me. Or hang up the phone like a bitch and pretend I don't exist.**" Helga said to her finally enraged by everything she had been through in life._

* * *

Arnold smiled at this scene, if it was one thing she suffered from as a little sister...was that everyone did love Olga more than Helga. He would know because he was the one always giving her advice on it. She shows nothing of her pain and suffering that she had been through in life. In fact, it made her more prettier...at least to Arnold it did.

Which was odd, and crazy at the same time, however at this point in his life...the crazier the better for him at least.

He decided to put the book down for now and turn the television on, and re warm some food in the microwave. He normally hated watching those entertainment or fashion police type television shows because they were surrounded by nothing but fake people judging everyone else.

However he did want to see pictures of how Helga looked in her dress for the rest of that evening.

The host kept talking about some other girl, who is the lead actress in a popular television show. Thank God, he didn't bother keeping up with normal television, his occupation took most of his time usually.

A few more minutes went by, and he was already disinterested at the sound of the people talking of other people who had been at the same party for that evening, and what they were wearing.

Finally the host on the television program spoke and mentioned Helga as it recorded her getting out the limo live.

_"Now here comes the author of her newest novel and bestseller for the last two years "Lost Love," here is Ms. Pataki, she's wearing a long red mermaid gown. She looks stunning" The host said._

Arnold nearly had a mini heart attack staring at the television.

The dress hugged every curvature of her body, again her breasts tastefully peeking over the top of the dress because the dress was strapless, baring her long neck, and collarbone. The ruffles of the dress began expanding outward around her knees and the dress trimmed a bit upwards around her feet allowing them to take a peek, and the rest trailed behind her. She wore an elaborate diamond necklace that sparkled and contrasted well with her skin, and small matching diamond dangle earrings that sparkled in the constant flash of lights. Her hair was still placed up but the bun of her hair fell around her lower backside of her neck, and blonde curly hair tresses fell beautifully around her face. Her makeup was incredible, her lashes were unbelievably long and Arnold was mesmerized...and his shining blue eyes filled with nothing but lust and carnal desire, and he licked his lips allowing that devilish smile play on his lips.

She walked slowly waving at all the press taking pictures of her, never allowing herself to turn away from the press. Not once did she turn to her side and loose her composure.

Arnold no longer heard the host speak about her dress, or her novel, or anything.

She finally made it to the host, as she began to interview Helga.

_"You look stunning this evening Ms. Pataki, who are you wearing tonight?" The host stood there and asked her as she placed the mike towards her lips. _

_Helga smiled and answered the question._

_"Well, I'm actually wearing Kimora Lee Simmons from her KLS collection. She's a fabulous designer!" Helga exclaimed but still remained composed under all the camera's and flashing lights._

_"Yes she most certainly is, she is fabulousity after all. So whats next for Ms. Pataki? Any new novels coming out soon? Your fans are dying to know." The host asked herself seeming anxious as well to know the answer._

_"Well, I haven't come up with anything yet however I'm thinking about trying my hand at acting, and a poetry book as well." Helga replied maintaining a natural smile the whole time._

_"Sounds exciting! I can't wait to see what you do next! Also Ms. Pataki, would you care to comment on the blonde haired man you've been spotted with today?" The host asked now curious to know the answer. Helga merely smiled warmly at her for her inquisition._

Arnold merely smiled at the next question as he was staring at the television screen.

_"His name is Arnold, and he is my long time childhood friend of many many years." Helga replied keeping it to the facts. _

Arnold raised an eyebrow at the television, and smirked.

_"I see, well rumors are going around that he may be the yellow haired boy you keep mentioning in your novel. He does seem to be the only one to meet the description." The host said to her, passing Helga the mike hoping she would crack under the pressure. _

Good God, had everyone in the world read this woman's book, and if so...why was it so infectious to these clowns in there world?

_Helga kept smiling._

_"While it may seem that way, I was not speaking of him in anyway." Helga replied remaining her composure._

However Arnold knew she was lying, but then again not everyone knew that memory she described in the beginning of her book **WAS** him. There was no other yellow haired boy in the school. He would know because he remembered, but thought nothing of it.

Lately he had been remembering a lot of stuff from his past what with Helga's latest sudden appearance in his life now.

_"Alright, well enjoy the party and I look forward to your work" The host said to Helga dismissing her answer._

_"Thank you, and a quick hello to Arnold before I go in. Have a wonderful evening" Helga said quickly, now waving at the camera and blowing kisses before walking off and disappearing into the crowd._

"Hmm..." Arnold murmured to himself, as he shut the television off.

He decided to get dressed in something relaxing, and he was really hoping she would wear that dress when they saw each other next.

He had a string of bombarding questions when he sees her.

* * *

Helga finally made it home early from the party wondering if Arnold was still up for there meeting. She desperately wanted to shed herself of this phony mask of constant smiles and be mean again, and if it needed to be at Arnold so be it. She felt more like herself when she did so. Everyone kept asking her questions after questions. The only person she could seem to have a genuine conversation with was Beyonce, who was the damn host of the party. She decided to change for there meeting, she had so much she wished to speak with him about. For starters, his grandparents, then what exactly happened to have him be so bitter, cold and rigid, and blatantly dark.

She decided to wear a pink tank top and flare jeans, and some white flats. She undid her hair from the bun she had it in from earlier this evening. She looked at the clock; 10pm.

Thankfully she didn't have any bookings for tomorrow. She wanted nothing more than to be with him again, and was sadly counting the hours down till she was with him next. Yet she still could not tell him, even if her book basically spelled it out and told the blatant truth.

She decided to drive this time, and didn't bother her limo driver. She then grabbed her small purse, and left out the door and rushed to her car. It was a 2013 Honda Accord luxury model.

She hopped in and started it and began to drive off. Sadly remembering where he lived. I wonder where this conversation was going to go? Was she going to tell him? What did he think of her? Hopefully she would get to reminiscent the good days with him and not talk about the bad stuff. Although they both now have a habit of doing that.

She rolled down the window as she was driving, and finally let her thoughts flow from the good, the bad, the worst, and the completely ugly.

**- End Of Chapter 4**


	5. Chapter 5: Something is Off

**Chapter 5: Something Is Off**

Arnold stood outside, wearing his black wife beater, black loose fitting black pants, and black boots with the pants tucked into the boots. His blonde hair was rather messy and unruly, and wearing the same blue hat, and rimless square glasses.

He was leaning against the building as he began thinking again. This is the most he ever thought about anything lately, and he never told anyone what he had been through, and what he does for a living. It was a secret he was ready to die for.

Some would think he was stuck, which he wasn't. He chose this path for himself with all the light of any naiive child, only to have it tarnished and destroyed. Spat back in his face, mercilessly.

He began gritting his teeth then smile at his own memories, of his darkness that sat there residing in his heart.

Yet no one knew, not even Gerald, his own best friend.

The last thing Arnold wanted was to bombard him with his own trivial grief and lack thereof love for himself.

Arnold couldn't stand who he saw in the mirror anymore. In fact, it was quite the opposite. He loathed the man he saw in the mirror. Had he been lied to his whole life? Had this been decided for him since the beginning? If so, this was more than cruel and unjust. It was disgusting

Tonight, he wanted to be rid of these feelings.

The only person who he never thought he would ever come to say it: He wanted to tell Helga everything about him.

Start from the time she left, and lead up to now. This was going to be the hardest thing for him, because he had lived by one rule his whole life...we are all, truly alone in this world.

* * *

Helga then beeped the horn breaking Arnold from his thoughts, as she smiled warmly at him. Her curly long blonde hair fell downwards framing her face beautifully. She still had leftover makeup from the party she recently came from.

Helga smiled warmly at him before speaking.

"Hey football head" She said to him still maintaining her smile. Arnold then began walking towards the car, and hopped in.

"Hey." Arnold spoke, still a bit more relaxed now.

Helga then smiled at him, a mischievous smile.

"I know just the place to go" Helga said, holding her smile as she placed the car in drive, and they began driving out the driveway.

Arnold never likes surprises and if there going where he thinks they are, this...could be a huge problem for him.

* * *

"Wow, so much has changed" Helga then said, staring out at her old neighborhood, as they both slowly began driving through Arnold's area first.

Helga turned to look at Arnold, and his face was rather grim looking, and scary. Like a shadow had been cast over his face making his face look darker, even though the streetlights were shining through on him, and all she saw were his bright blue eyes in the darkness. It sent a chill down her spine.

Perhaps her thoughts were right, this was not the same boy and he may now be more dangerous than she thought. Yet he said nothing to her, which freaked her out even more.

Suddenly she stopped the car, placed it in park, and put her hazard flashers on.

"Arnold, whats wrong?" Helga decided to ask, deciding not to let her fear show. He merely scoffed at her inquisition, and turned to look away from her.

Yet he had stared dead holes into her as they were driving and Helga could feel it. Helga pursed her lips, and began driving again a short distance, pulled up to the nearest curb and parked.

"Out, now." Helga commanded, and he did as he was told without a word, his movements more swift and precise. Who the hell was he?

In seconds he was standing in front of her, and she jumped not expecting him to be that close. His eyes still piercing through her, only now they were slits and his face still dark and grim. He stood only mere inches from her, his body was relaxed but rigid.

He cocked his head to one side looking down on her, his eyebrow raised and still maintaining the grim look on his face.

"Yes?" Arnold said, now completely disconnected when he spoke to her.

Her heart completely fell out from her chest and down into her stomach. It infuriated her.

"I don't believe you. You ought to be ashamed of yourself, if I were Phil and Pookie I would rise from the grave and beat you myself." Helga said, now returning the same harshness and coldness in her voice.

Arnold remained quiet, looking at her maliciously and stepped closer to her, now there bodies pressed together, pinning Helga against the car now having no where to run to. The look on his face, was that of an empty demon. Only his eyes were blue that cut through the darkness from the cascading streetlight.

His body was rock solid underneath hers, but he was crushing her air capacity, and Helga's breaths became shallow under the pressure of his body against hers. He then proceeded to place his lips near Helga's ear and spoke very quietly.

"Then why don't you. I dare you." He said to her simply, coldly, after he swiftly unpinned her from him. With a malicious smile on his face, he then turned away from her and began walking away from her. Helga attempted to catch her breath, as she was breathing hard.

"**ARNOLD!**" Helga yelled at him. He stopped mid stride, turned and began walking back towards her.

Helga was now furious, and terrified at this point.

"What is it now?" Arnold said to her now finally standing in front of her, thankfully respecting her space now. He sounded so cold, but why?

Suddenly as furious as Helga was she placed her arms on his shoulders and gave him a nice push, and if she wanted to she would have hit him.

"**YOUR SUCH A STUPID FOOTBALL HEAD! DO YOU REALLY THINK YOUR GRANDPARENTS OR YOUR PARENTS WOULD WANT TO SEE YOU LIKE THIS? YOUR SUCH A FUCKING IDIOT ARNOLD!**" Helga yelled at him, her tiny fists pounding on his chest now, and now tears streaming down her face. Her face was downwards away from his eyes. Arnold stood relaxing a bit more and allowed Helga to talk.

"I don't know what else to say, I do know it was supposed to be you saving the world and helping people like you did when we were kids. Not me, I was supposed to be the one with the sad story, never succeeding at anything in life...why you...I can't..." Helga said to him, her voice now sounding weak...and her tears now fully streaming, and her heart sank entirely. She couldn't look at his face now, if she did it would tell him everything. She merely held onto him.

Her head now placed under Arnold's jaw, she could feel him gritting his teeth as if fighting something inside himself. He then slowly wrapped his arms around her warmly and she gasped surprised at this reaction.

"I'll tell you everything...Helga, I'm glad you were finally able to express yourself, I knew even when we were kids that you were this way and just too scared to show it. I'm happy for you, really...so you deserve the success you have now. I still don't know much about what happened with you either, but now that you've seen that...side of me, I will tell you everything. Starting from when we were kids, till the time you left, all the way to now." Arnold said, his voice now charming, rich, warm, and more importantly...genuine.

His body finally eased as he pulled Helga closer, and her sobs began to stop. She pushed him away slowly, she couldn't handle all of this.

It was just too much to take in at one time.

"Thank you Helga, its been a long time since I had tough love like that" Arnold said looking at her and smiling warmly seeming to return to the boy she remembered.

Helga wiped her tears away now embarrassed yet again. She flushed bright red.

He then cupped her face and began wiping her tears away, Helga almost jumped from the contact, which she wasn't expecting.

He studied her face for a few moments more before speaking again.

"C'mon, lets go. I have somewhere I want to take you." Arnold said, now pulling her where he wanted to go, like a carefree child. Like the Arnold she knew as a child.

She giggled finally, and let herself go in the moment.

* * *

"Arnold, you remembered this place?" Helga said astonished at his memory of the pier they both once sat at together as kids.

"Yup, its the same spot we sat at during the Thanksgiving parade, remember when both of our Thanksgivings were awful and so we decided to go to Mr. Simmons house? Ironically it turned out his family was worse than ours put together." Arnold said, smiling now and letting himself go in talking about the moment.

Helga giggled at the memory.

"Yeah I remember, his family was the worst! And you, always had to be so God awfully optimistic of everything, and decided to come up with the stupid idea of going to his house in the first place because of the play he wrote about the perfect thanksgiving." Helga added, as they were walking towards the night ocean view at the end of the pier.

Arnold laughed robustly in response.

Helga stomach then began to growl loudly.

"Shit, uhh I'm hungry." Helga admitted ashamed now at her stomach.

This was the dream date she had always envisioned since she was a little girl, and now her stomach had ruined the moment.

Arnold merely snickered at her.

"I'll be right back, wait right here." Arnold said, now skipping away from her and he disappeared into the shadows.

Helga stood there waiting for him to reappear from the shadows but decided to look at the moon and the ocean instead.

"Here" Arnold said stepping in front of her handing her a whopping burger in a bag.

"Where did you get these?" Helga asked curious and suspicious, she was eyeing him curiously. He merely smiled warmly and all knowingly.

"Hey, a guy has his ways right. Its good, I promise. Only thing I need is a damn liquor store. Right, be right back." Arnold said disappearing into the shadows again.

Helga walked to the end of the pier and sat down staring at the ocean and the moon. The scenery was breathtakingly beautiful.

He came back shortly with a 12 pack case of cold beer labeled Yuengling. How was the beer cold? And where did he get it from? He has no money...Helga began thinking to herself suspiciously.

He opened the beer and handed one to her not saying anything, just smiling at her warmly.

Helga ate her burger and washed it down with the cold crisp bubbly beer.

Arnold merely stared at her, not studying her...just looking at her.

It made Helga nervous, but decided to ignore it.

Arnold then did the same and they sat in silence as they both stared off into the night sky.

"We really have changed a lot haven't we?"Arnold said breaking the eating silence between them, and strangely Arnold knew she was finished her food, yet he did not take his eyes off the night sky. How could he tell? This was starting to get really eerie. She ignored it, again.

Helga smiled a sarcastic smile after taking a sip of her beer.

"You got that right Bucko, we for damn sure have" Helga admitted to him out loud.

He breathed a silent laugh and Arnold took a sip of his beer, allowing the grim look on his face to come back.

"Arnold...what happened to you? I mean...after I left and all. We didn't really get a chance to catch up." Helga said, trying to make it light but could feel the shift between the atmosphere around them.

He grimaced at the sound of her question. He sunk his head down for a moment and closed his eyes for a few moments. He then turned to look at her, his eyes looking into her again. How did he do that. The sadness and seriousness came back in his face again.

"I promised I would tell you everything, and tonight for the first time in 12 years, I have carried this burden alone, something that not even Gerald knows." Arnold said, his voice truly heart breakingly sad, serious, and genuine.

Arnold took a sip of his beer and looked up to the night sky again, and Helga pulled her knees to her chest as she began to intently listen to his story.

**- End Of Chapter 5**


	6. Chapter 6: This is Not You!

**Chapter 6: This is Not You!**

"I'll just get right into it" Arnold said now gulping, and breathing in a heavy sigh.

"After you moved away in 7th grade you remember how I was still somewhat the same, naive, silly, and moralistic kid." He said looking at Helga now, and she nodded her head in response.

He looked back up into the night sky before speaking again.

"I continued that way until Phil and Pookie died in there sleep. I remember how I found them, I was 16 years old and just starting high school. I called for them, begged for them to wake up, that I needed them." Arnold began speaking, as tears rose to his eyes and he was gritting his teeth to hold them back.

"When I went to there funeral, the first part of that little boy inside of me was destroyed. Everyone around the neighborhood only mourned there death for little less than a week and were back to there own lives. Yet here I was stuck with all there memories, and bullshit they ever taught me. I had no one to go to, at least at the time it didn't feel like I did." He smirked at his new found knowledge.

Since Helga was holding her knees up to her chest already, decided to let some tears shed for him as she studied him and the way he was speaking of them.

Arnold took another sip of his beer.

"I started on cigarettes, then drugs, and shortly after that it was alcohol and women. The only thing Phil and Pookie left me was the boarding house, and lots and lot of money. At first I began spending it on little things for my girlfriends-" Arnold was saying but was cut short by Helgas abrupt reaction.

"**GIRLFRIENDS!** Like more than one? At one time? With an S?" Helga said nearly choking on her beer as he said this.

He looked back at her knowingly and confidently with a dark twist in his eyes.

"Yes. Helga. More. Than. One." Arnold said to her slowly, and pronounced every word so she would fully understand it.

"Continue" Helga merely said not looking at him.

His gaze was filled with hunger and from what she could tell it wasn't for more food.

He smirked at her, somehow knowing he had an effect on her, and returned looking back at the night sky.

"At first it was spending it on them, then drugs, and I began failing school. Shortly afterwards I decided to sell the boarding house to support my addiction to everything that was foreign to me. If only I knew then I could have stopped all that and just done some good with my life. Heh, but anyways. So after I sold the boarding house I decided to move in with Gerald and his family. They tried...to reach me. At the time, I didn't want to listen to any of them. Then after keeping the journal my dad had wrote a long time ago, I decided to go and look for my family. Here I was thinking I was a man ready to deal with the world because I was hurting. What a fool I was then." Arnold said, still looking into the night sky.

Helga thought he was looking at his own memories in the sky and somehow forgot she was even there.

"So, at 18 years old I decided to leave for Brazil to search for the Green eyed people and my parents and at the time I wasn't going to let anything detour me." He stopped himself and chuckled lightly at his own words.

"Until I was captured by war guerrillas that is." Arnold said simply, that dark grim look on his face returning.

It now sent a chill down her spine, it looked like he was smiling.

"I was a prisoner at first, but then...perhaps because they liked me, they wanted me to kill one of the other prisoners if I wanted to live. They told me this was the way of the world, kill or be killed. The only other prisoners that were with us..." He stopped himself before speaking again, took a big gulp of his beer and looked out onto the horizon.

Helga's stomach was in knots, she almost didn't want to hear anymore.

"Two American women. One of them was pregnant and the other one had a child with her." Arnold finally said his teeth now grinding against each other. His eyes still focused on the horizon not looking at Helga at all.

"Oh my God" Helga responded completely horror stricken, her face lost all blood circulation and she felt cold. Her heart sank down even further, and her insides felt like she was going to be sick.

Arnold chuckled to himself as he took the last sip of his beer, and threw it into the river, reached for another one quickly opening it and taking another long sip before continuing.

"Who do you think I chose?" Arnold said, still not looking at Helga, his eyes looking completely lifeless, and cold.

Helga didn't want to answer.

"The pregnant one?" Helga said only for the sake of the conversation but no longer cared to know the answer.

"Nope, the child. It was the weakest. However, the mother fought me well. Too bad I ended up shattering her skull against the concrete. Unknowingly I might add. That god awful scream the child made when his mother was dead. It still haunts me to this day." Arnold began finally admitting, allowing a tear to fall from his cheek and a sardonic smile play on his lips.

"I screamed to the top of my lungs, terrified at my unknown strength. Of course after having killed both of them, the other woman yelled at me, spit in my face and called me a monster. It was well deserved at the time." Arnold said still looking into the distance, and now having wiped the tear from his face.

He turned to look at Helga.

She was gripping her stomach, and holding her knees tightly to her chest sobbing silent sobs.

He merely smiled at her as he cupped her chin and began wiping tears from her face.

"Why are you crying?" Arnold said warmly to her.

"Have you cried at all? If you haven't then let me do so." Helga merely said accepting his pain for what it was. Even though she wanted to vomit into the ocean.

He gently let go of her face, and continued his story where he left off, staring off into the distance.

"Since they liked me and I did what I was told they asked me to be a part of the fight for there cause. I objected at first, but there torturing methods are quite convincing. They told me they needed me because I was an American, a typical blonde haired blue eyed boy. They taught me everything I know, as far as murder is concerned. I learned at first how to to kill wildly, then after that I learned to hone my skills to the point where I know how to deliciously filet someones skin off never puncturing the muscle. After my first kill of that woman and her child when I was captured, the little boy died. I have murdered so many women, children, husbands, brothers, sisters, I lost count." Arnold said, very matter of factly.

Helga felt the beer keep trying to come up to her throat but she swallowed it back down.

"I was not just an average killer there, I was...someone else. Who am I kidding, this is who I am, and that was me. Who am I trying to lie to? I've spent too many years of my life running away from the truth. I killed those people, and I enjoyed it. Taking someone elses life, whether it be a woman or a child, especially an older parent...God help me, I enjoyed it. It filled the void I felt inside myself, it filled the pain I could never fill with alcohol, drugs, or women." Arnold admitted smiling sadistically at the thought of his memories.

"**What?!**" Helga exclaimed now rising from her seated position completely outraged.

Arnold closed his eyes before rising to respond to her, which he rose swiftly now facing her.

"Its complicated to understand, maybe we should stop here" Arnold said attempting to hold her, she shoved him away.

"How could you give in? I mean, who are you? This is not you...at all." Helga began to say, not willing to admit...that she still loves him even now.

He smiled warmly at her.

"This is who I am now, Helga" Arnold said to her warmly to soothe her. She was freaked out, only by like a lot. The same little boy she knew that was always there for everyone else, yet no one bothered to stop him...at all! It was too much for her to handle. She couldn't come to grips that she was in love with a murderer. Her breaths became shallow for a moment, until she regathered herself.

Arnold just stood there not touching her, he knew this was hard for her as it was for him.

"You never told anyone any of this?" Helga screeched grasping her chest at the pain she felt, her eyes looking at him now.

He had the sly smile of a mischievous demon, but the gentle warmth of an angel in his eyes. Where did he learn this? No. She no longer wished to know.

"No, Helga...I just told you...this is the burden I've carried alone for 12 years. I'm 28 years old now, and you are...what, 27 years old. The last time we saw each other was in 7th grade. It was a long time since then." Arnold said, still holding the same look on his face.

"What about this bothers you, Helga?" Arnold spoke to her matter of factly.

Helga was shocked at his question and her eyes bulging out of her head.

"This is not like you at all, I mean...what happened to you okay, fine...but I can't...because..." Helga began to say but stopped herself.

Arnold then stepped closer to her, this time he was more slow and gentle in his demeanor.

"Because?" Arnold replied to her, now prying into what she was going to say.

Helga remained silent, this was the one secret she had to keep away from him. Although she did share it with the world, she never thought...he would...

"You never answered my question back in the bookstore" Arnold said to her, as if reading her mind. His curiosity was showing in his face now.

She did not look at him, in fact she turned from him.

Arnold then cupped her chin and turned her back towards him.

"Another thing, why can't you look at me either?" Arnold said to her awaiting her response.

"Its...just...too much...I..." Helga said, and still cut herself short.

Arnold smiled at her, and let her face go. He knew somewhere down the line she would have to tell him everything as well.

"Well its getting to be early...we should go." Arnold began to say as he grabbed the case of beer and started to walk off.

Helga stood firm and not moving.

"Arnold...please, finish the rest of your story. Please." Helga said to him pleading with him. Helga sure as hell couldn't handle the fact that the man she is in love with, and thought she knew her whole life was a murderer, cold blooded, but still...he was the only hope she had in her life. She still could not deny her feelings for him.

Arnold looked shocked at first, then he smiled. A true, warm, genuine smile. He started walking back, and they both sat down on the pier and Helga awaited him to finish his story.

"After my extensive training and countless missions I took, loosing count of everything I've ever done. I finally found or stumbled by my parents...only...it was there skelatons. I found some symbol from the green eyed people because apparently the outbreak they had must've killed my parents and thats why they never came back for me. I had lost everyone I've ever come to love, I lost my grandparents, my home, and now the only hope I had left was shattered. I didn't even get a chance to know my parents before I found them. So I burned there skelatons, and officially went insane. Good thing no one was around to see me like that." Arnold now had tears streaming down his face, in an instant.

"Helga, I did really bad things when I was there. I lived there for about 9-10 years...I lost count, honestly. However in order for me to come back to the states I had no money, so I decided to rob a rich female journalist. Sure I knew of my charms back then, but I didn't exploit them as much." Arnold said, a small smirk playing on his lips.

"I was successful at the robbery, and I paid a personal flight attendant to sneak me onto the next flight back to the states...when I arrived, everything looked so different. Sure the world of where I grew up looked the same, but I was different and because of that...my own home, had looked different to me. I knew that if I spoke of my adventures of Brazil they would've thrown me either in jail or a mental institution. I was, and still am so far gone from whats real or not anymore. I did want to see my friends, but wished to speak nothing of my changed attitude or demeanor. So I strolled down my block, and left. Since I was dirt broke using the money to come back to the states I started applying for a job, but because I was a high school drop out no one would hire me. Angry, and frustrated I did the only thing I know how to do. And so, I went to a large city, and killed some big time dealers hoping they would employ me. They did, and shortly thereafter...is when I learned how to use my charm. Helga, do I look evil and sweet at the same time to you?" Arnold spoke all this still not looking at her.

Helga nodded very hardly, agreeing with him more than how he said it.

"It was then I found out how easily I can charm women, and so I used both my ability as a killer who grew to enjoy my occupation of killing, and now getting any woman I wish. The only person I didn't expect to run into was you. I didn't expect you to take me back home, and give me the verbal slap in the face that I needed all this time. No one cared enough to tell me, or perhaps they did...and I chose not to listen. What hurts the most, is feeling like I've been lied to all my life. By my grandparents, my parents, and more importantly...myself. I used to believe in morality, justice, and all that. Now look at me, merely a killer whose constantly paranoid, never trusting anyone...ever...I'm surprised at myself for even telling you everything that I'm telling you now...which is why, this is so hard for me." Arnold said, now his voice completely saddened by everything he had said just now.

"I fully realize the mistakes I made in my life, but in the same turn...I found out the truth, and thats all I have now, and yet...I still cannot be rid of this god awful hat of mine. Its...all I have left." Arnold said, stopping himself, his teeth now grinding against each other.

"Don't kid yourself football head, you regret your life decisions as much as I do. I know Phil would tell you never give up hope no matter how bleak or awful life seems to be and Pookie would sing a catchy tune to you. What was the song I heard you singing one day...oh yeah, when life gets you down, wearing a frown don't run away look up. Remember?" Helga said to him, smiling now filled with some unknown wisdom to her.

Arnold finally allowed the tears to stream from his face. He made no sound as his tears fell from his face, and he laughed to himself. He looked up to the sky, unashamed of his woes, his misery, and everything he had done with his life. She was absolutely right, she would have told him the same thing. For the first time in 12 years...he felt alive again. Nothing in his search for all of his life, had he found the remedy for it. Here was this woman, who still picked on him, name called him, someone he loathed at the time of his youth, gave him the best...most freeing advice he needed to hear. He looked back down, closed his eyes to regain his composure before speaking again.

"Helga, or Ms. Pataki. Thank you. For the first time in 12 long years, I feel alive...like a human being again." Arnold said, smiling now. He looked like the childish boy she remembered from her youth, and quite suddenly he pulled her into a long heartfelt embrace.

Helga being caught off guard did nothing but sat really still under his body being pressed against hers.

He breathed in her hair, and it smelled like the sweetest thing he had ever smelt, like gardenia.

Helga eased under him finally, as did he.

He slowly let her go, and the sun began peeking over the horizon.

"Helga, make me one promise" Arnold said still gripping her shoulders and looking into her, and Helga tensed up again under his gaze. She nodded in response to him.

"Promise me, you will speak of this to no one. The last thing I want is for anyone or everyone to know. Helga, no matter what happens...I will protect you, this is my promise to you. Your...all I have in this world now." Arnold said to her, his face serious and gentle.

Helga's heart just skipped a beat. Did he just say he would protect her? What? Helga's head was thumping under all this new information, her head was still spinning from all of this. But she decided to look into his eyes, the sunlight was peeking over the horizon, made his eyes shine a brilliant sky blue. His blonde hair was messy, and his light tanned skin made him look all the more sexy to her.

His expression changed, his eye brows arching, and his lips playing into a smirk, and his eyes lighter with playful talk.

"What are you thinking about...Ms. Pataki? Your blushing." Arnold said, as if reading her mind...again. Did he learn to do that too?

She flushed bright red, and looked away from him.

Arnold snickered under his breath at her response.

"C'mon, you should head on home." Arnold said now rising from her, and grabbing the leftover case of beer.

Arnold then took his pack of cigs, and decided to light one, it had been more than a couple of hours since he last lit one.

Helga merely studied his back since he was facing away from her. She had entirely too much to mull over when she got home.

"Ay, quit staring at me and lets go. Oh, and don't think that just because I told you everything about me that you get off the hook" Arnold snapped at first, and then relaxed into his playful behavior. He spoke to her not turning around to look at her like normal people do.

Helga was now beginning to realize what kind of danger she was getting herself into.

They proceeded to walk back to the car, so Helga could get home. Even though Helga had nothing planned, knowing Jean she would have booked her for something today.

**- End Of Chapter 6**


	7. Chapter 7: Feelings

**Chapter 7: Feelings**

Arnold and Helga now walking back towards the car decided to stop at the boarding house for a few minutes to gaze at it.

Helga figured it would help Arnold out a bit more.

Arnold stood outside the boarding house, the sun now shining brightly as his memories began to flood his mind. This was the same stoop he sat on many a times during story time by his grandpa Phil. The same stoop that Gereld and Arnold would play board games on. The windows still the same, the street was still the same except for a few new modern shops at the end of each block.

Arnold smiled at the memories he suddenly began to see.

"Lets go" Arnold said to Helga as he began walking towards the car.

Helga smiled at her memories as well, so many times she had snuck into his house and attempted all those times to avoid having him find out her secret. Her love for him.

She watched him as he walked next to the car. She studied him slowly.

He lit another cigarette inhaling as he laid back against the car, his body open and relaxed placing the hand leaning against the car in his pants pocket and using his other hand to smoke the cigarette. Her eyes began trailing from his face downwards...to his neck...his broad chest...stomach...and...oh my. Helga began to flush bright red.

Her eyes trailed back up to his face, when there eyes met he held the same carnal desire and lust for her as she may not have realized she was looking at him the same way. His face was relaxed, with a light smirk on his lips and his eyes fastened on her, seeming to undress her in his mind as well by eyeing her up and down.

Helga felt like she had been standing naked in the middle of the street just by him looking at her. She now felt moist in between her legs. Crap! She thought to herself, and tried to play it off as she walked towards the car, and shoved him out of the way.

Arnold snickered to himself under his breath.

"Move!" Helga demanded as she hopped in the car and started it not waiting for Arnold to get in.

He snickered a bit louder at her response, finishing his cigarette he flicked it, and hopped in the car.

Helga began to squirm uncomfortably in her seat.

"Stupid football head" Helga muttered under her breath.

Arnold maintained his cool composure, heard what she said and decided to leave it alone.

They drove most of the way back in silence.

"Helga, may I go with you?" Arnold said not looking at her again, merely inquiring if it would be alright with her.

Helga said nothing, and took a moment to ponder his request. Honestly she wanted nothing more than to be around him, but she needed a breather to think some things over. Then again, she knew why he didn't want to go home, it was awful. She just couldn't say no...not to him.

"Yeah, you can" Helga said briefly not looking at him either for a moment. She did turn to look at him, and he had a small smile on his lips. There was light in his eyes from what she could tell. Why was he so happy? He said nothing in response of thanks.

His smile seemed to be his thank you for the moment.

* * *

Helga's placed the car in park in front of her apartment and her cell phone rang. She reached inside her purse to answer it.

"Hello?" Helga answered.

"Helga!?" A familiar mousy voice said over the phone.

Helga's smile couldn't stop spreading once she knew who it was.

"Phoebe! Oh my God, I miss you...how have you been?!" Helga practically squealed over the phone.

"I've been good, busy with my studies and the fiancee as usual. How has life in the limelight been? I'm so sorry I didn't get a chance to catch you on tv! You probably looked awesome!" Phoebe said in her tiny Asian like voice that made Helga's insides warm. Finally something familiar after all this, unfamiliarity.

"Wait! When did you and Gerald become engaged?!" Helga said almost near a yell over the phone.

Helga glanced over, as she grabbed her things. She saw Arnold standing focused, and a bit of curiosity played on his facial expression.

Dammit, he was listening in on her conversation. Could she ever catch a break?

"Well, since we have been dating for a long time. A long long time actually, we decided to tie the knot last week. He popped the question with the ring and everything. Oh Helga, it was perfect & wonderful!" Phoebe said allowing her happiness to exhuberate through the phone.

Helga began walking into her apartment and Arnold followed swiftly behind her, almost like a body guard.

"Phoebe, I'm so happy for you! That's awesome, honestly" Helga replied trying to sound genuine but unfortunately was juggling all her things and opening the door to her apartment at the same time, not to mention Arnold was following right behind her, which in turn made her nervous.

"Helga, are you busy now? Whats wrong?" Phoebe asked her, now picking up on everything seeming to go on around Helga, even though she was thousands of miles away. Best friends are incredible.

Helga finally making into the apartment placed her purse down and began walking into the spacious and large living room so she could get some air away from Arnold. His gaze was making her insides melt.

"I'm fine Phoebe, its just been a long time since we last talked on the phone...and I miss you." Helga replied allowing her gentleness show.

"Helga, are you feeling okay? Whats going on...talk to me" Phoebe said to her, almost sounding demanding. That was the beautiful thing about friendships, or real ones. They were always evolving, because while she still sounds mousy, she was in no way mousy. Then again being with Gerald has had that effect on her lately. Helga appreciated it a whole lot more than not.

"I'll call you later okay? I promise, besides I need to talk to you about...well...you know my secret." Helga said to her hoping she would pick up on it.

"You mean your secret about Arnold?" Phoebe said matter of factly.

"Yes, and you won't believe everything I have to tell you. But I have to go now, talk to you later okay? Miss you much Phoebe. Bye." Helga said hanging up the phone, and holding the phone close to her heart.

"So hows Phoebe doing these days?" Arnold said to Helga, as he was leaning against the wall entrance to the living room. His posture relaxed as usual, but his eyes were hard slits basically as a threat to her about what they had discussed earlier. Was he listening to our conversation? Helga decided to brush it off.

"Shes fine, her and Gerald are engaged now. Arnold, if you want to stay in my house, you have to learn to respect my privacy." Helga said to him harshly hoping he would pick up what she had a problem with him about.

He scoffed maliciously at her with a devilish smirk on his lips. He said nothing to her in response and simply lifted himself from the wall he was leaning against then decided to disappear to explore the apartment.

* * *

Helga breathed a huge sigh of relief now that he was finally gone. She had been all wound up from being around him. The tension between them was getting stronger and stronger and she couldn't stand it any longer. She was hoping he didn't feel it.

She plopped herself down on the couch, now finally exhausted from the night prior spent. She didn't realize how tired she was because she was around Arnold. A man who is officially insane, who has murdered in the past, but who can be so charming and cute at the same time. Does that make him a bad person? Of course it does. But in the world we live in, and grow up in...its not at black and white as we believe it to be as children.

The only reason she was so tense, and exhausted was because they had stayed up talking...She felt like she had been entrusted with a grave burden. She had only been told this new information a few hours ago, versus him he had been carrying all of that alone for 12 or so years.

How do you live with yourself? How do you even begin to enjoy death of another human being? Children and women especially. She was confused, terrified, and more importantly...still madly in love with him.

This just makes no sense, how could she be in love with a man who is completely different and separate from the boy she once loved? Is it because she believed in hope in him? No. It was because, its how he was. Its always been him and no other man.

Any man that ever did approach Helga, was never interested. She wasn't perfect either by no means, but...she just couldn't stop thinking about him.

The way he made her feel, she felt safe in his arms, even though hes a very dangerous man. Somehow she knew that nothing would ever hurt her...could she put her love and trust in him? If so...did he feel the same way about her?

Helga's body then proceeded to fall lifelessly on the soft suede couch, and tried to sleep.

Even though she knew her mind would give her no rest.

* * *

Arnold decided to explore the house. It was just one of his natural habits whenever he would stay somewhere, even if it was for a few hours. He needed to inspect it and know where everything is in case of any coming danger.

He did make a promise to Helga, not realizing himself what he even said. It wasn't because of him being in the moment. He felt something for her, she was the only one...who told him what he needed to hear. Sure to any normal person he sounded crazy, which is why he never bothered his friends or anyone from his past with what he had been through. Perhaps he dumped it all on her too soon. He should have let himself more in her world a bit more, but he could tell she was getting suspicious about his behavior.

Last night when she said about him needing to be ashamed about himself, when it came to his reaction. The only reason he pinned her under his body, was because sure he was angry because she had no idea what he had been through, and the other reason was because she had aroused him with the way she spoke to him. Unafraid, until he told her everything. Then she became weak, but he knew Helga was a strong individual. Usually his senses about people are correct. Not to mention she did bully him, you have to have some type of toughness about you to live on in this world.

When she's in front of press, and media, that same cold harsh person he sees in himself...exists in her. Maybe not to the magnitude of himself, but he saw it. He anticipated it, and waited on it to strike him back. She could deny all she wants about not being cold, bullshit. They were more alike they she cared to let on.

However that's not to say he doesn't have his regrets about his life. If he could have grown up completely naive and optimistic about life...he would have. He would trade for it in less of a fraction of a second. He was a fool on a fools errand to search for his parents. Still not believing after killing as many as he did, he still wanted to believe his parents were alive...so they would save him from this cursed fate of his.

Some may think the way he is now is nothing more than self pity. No, its not. He just knows on the inside that if he could change...he would. He wanted to believe it was too late, but this feeling he grew for Helga, was the strongest feeling he's felt in a long time amongst a dry barren wasteland of hopeless dreams. What was it? This need, and desire for her.

At first it started out strictly carnal because that was all he knew, until she saw right through him. Now, it was more...now, he wanted nothing more than to be by her side and protect her from any harm. This woman, had unknowingly to him...became the center of his world. His sanctuary. The home he yearned for, so many years. All found in this one woman.

Yet he could see...in her eyes she was terrified of him. This thought made his heart sink, not because he didn't expect it. But because in 12 years of his life she was the **FIRST** person he had told **THE TRUTH** of what happened to him, and yet here she was mortified with him. He could have easily lied and played the game by her rules, teasing her, and following along with whatever she threw his way having her **NEVER** find out the truth.

Sure she would have been suspicious of his behavior but would never put two and two together. However knowing her, she would have demanded a fess up sooner or later, like she did last night.

He closed his eyes and envisioned how beautiful she looked allowing her emotions to be completely subjugated and vulnerable to him, the thought made him growl low under his breath.

Ironically, before he couldn't stand it about her...now it aroused him. Go figure.

Another thing about her that was really starting to work his nerves...she was hiding something about him, and it drove him insane to no end.

He was going to find out what it was, but this time he will be more gentle...after all the last thing he wanted to do was chase away the only woman who made him feel at home. The one woman, who he was afraid of the soon to be inevitable.

* * *

Helga awoke from her slumber now panicking, and fear stricken, it was already in the afternoon and she slept all the way through. Helga began frantically looking around the living room, and spotted Arnold standing in between the entrance to the living room, eyes closed as she jumped now realizing he was there.

"And this is how you treat male company." Arnold said, not opening his eyes and a smirk playing on his lips.

"Crimeny football head, you scared the wits out of me. Stop doing that." Helga nearly barking at him.

He smiled that same devilish smile, Helga couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking.

"I'm merely keeping my promise, Ms. Pataki. I apologize if my methods are unknown to you." Arnold replied not saying what was really on his mind, because he maintained the devilish smirk.

Helga breathed a heavy sigh, now that she thought about it.

"Hey Arnold..." Helga started off saying. He still did not open his eyes, merely lifted the one eyebrow towards her direction as if intently listening to her. Why did he need his eyes closed? He looked like an animal intently listening for his prey.

"How would you like to be my body guard?" Helga said now reassured at her question.

His eyes shot open, still remaining calm as he assessed the question not looking at her.

He smirked still looking evil in his face.

"Now why would you think to ask me something like that?" Arnold said, turning towards her his eyes questioning, and almost happy at her inquisition.

"Well, seeing as you gave me a long resume last night and I thought about...well, the last thing I need is some random fan trying to come by my house or anything and-" Helga began saying but was cut short by Arnold speaking.

"Do you not understand that my being around you is putting you in danger as we speak?" Arnold said to her, attempting to remain calm.

Helga blinked at him surprised.

"Helga, I left the gang that I was affiliated with...but they may still be looking for me. I do not know when they may strike, and I am putting you in danger" Arnold replied, now allowing his sadness to show in his eyes.

Helga was stunned at him.

"This was a stupid idea, I have to go." Arnold suddenly said as he began walking towards the door briskly.

Helga's heart fell out of her butt now realizing she may never see him again, from the world he's from he could be dead the next time she sees him.

"Wait!" Helga yelled as she ran after him.

"You can't just leave, what about-" Helga was silenced by Arnold grabbing her hand harshly at first, then he let go gently.

Helga afraid to look into his eyes, now wanted to look in them.

Sadness, Death, Sorrow, Longing, Heartache and some type of emotion that only she saw in her own eyes whenever she would speak of Arnold...all mixed in one, Oh my god.

She now realized that it didn't matter what he had been through, however morbid or twisted he was...the good man she fell in love with is still there.

He then took his thumb and caressed her face lightly, very lovingly.

"Thank you, Helga. But its just too late for me, I'm glad I got to see you once more." Arnold said about to let go but was stopped by Helga grabbing the end of his shirt.

"Dammit stupid football head! Do you even know why I wrote about you in my novel? Do you even know why I want you next to me? Do you even know why I don't care about any of that stuff? Do you know what I've been trying to hide from you for 24 long years, and you really want to know why I left?" Helga now realizing that if he leaves now, she may never see him ever again. He may not live for much longer, and now she understands.

Tears were streaming down her face, and Arnold stood listening to her. She looked back up at him

"Its because I love you stupid." Helga said finally to him, so matter of factly and genuinely.

Arnold was taken aback, all those years she was in love with him? How? Why?

"All those times I snuck into your house when I was younger was because somehow either my poetry book, or my locket got in your house, or being high off of laughing gas and I told you on your answering machine...each time I told you. I fell in love with you, and have been in love with you since we were tiny tots. You showed me warmth, compassion, and love when no one in the world noticed me. Yet, I could not get the courage to tell you. The whole reason I left was because I saw you making out with one of your girlfriends at the time, and I was so heartbroken and shattered I had to be away from you. I couldn't take it anymore...and I'm so sorry, had I been there you never would have gone through what you did-Arnold, I love you, and I have my whole life." Helga admitted to him finally, as she fell to her knees.

Arnold held her to help her back up.

"All that time huh?" Arnold said completely baffled, and really really happy. For once in his life, someone cared for him and loved him as he was not for something he was trying to be.

"Helga..." Arnold said now cupping her chin and forcing her to look at him.

"From the moment I saw you staring at me in the coffee shop I already knew who you were...and ever since then I couldn't stop thinking about you either." Arnold said smiling warmly at her, and allowing his emotions to show. Warm, loving, and caring.

"You don't mean it, your just saying it because I am." Helga said now utterly embarrassed.

Arnold resumed his devilish smirk.

"Would I do something like this, if you haven't been on my mind lately?" Arnold said, as he pressed his lips against hers.

His lips were so soft, and warm. These were not the same lips she kissed when she was a little girl. His lips were a bit more fuller and juicier. There kiss deepened as Helga's tongue met his. Arnold growled a low yearning growl for her, as he bit her bottom lip not too hard but just enough to be considered playful. Helga ended there kiss rather abruptly and suddenly as she pushed him away from her. She was panting heavily, and he took short small breaths as well. However he still remained collected.

"Judging from that, you've been wanting to do that for a very long time" Arnold said to her, his voice in a husky low growl.

Helga merely gave him a look that said it all.

"You have no idea" Helga replied to him, with desperation in her voice.

Arnold decided to step back from her and regather himself.

Helga was now curious to know what he was thinking, it was usually really hard to tell.

"Arnold, what are you thinking about?" Helga asked curious, still a bit wide eyed at there kiss they just shared.

He looked at her, with desire, and lust...and that look of longing, and...love. His lips played into a devilish smile slowly at one corner.

"You really...don't want to know" Arnold began to say, his eyes sparkling brighter than usual.

"Crimeny whats it going to take to get you to tell me?" Helga stupidly said, then quickly slammed her hand over her mouth now realizing what she had said.

"I'll save you the embarrassment, Ms. Pataki. I was thinking how damned sexy you would look laying naked in the living room sprawled out, open, wet, and wanting me inside of you, does that answer your question or should I continue?" Arnold said his grin evil that was damn charming and a raised eyebrow, it made her legs weak and her insides were like jello.

She flushed a bright red. She was too ashamed to say anything else. So she decided to change the subject.

"So, you intend to keep your promise to me or what?" Helga said hoping her changing the subject ploy would work.

He could not wipe that devilish grin from his face.

"Changing the subject, at least for you it is a good thing you decided to. Yes, Helga I intend to keep my promise to you. However, will you be compensating me? & I'm assuming my living situation will have changed as well correct?" He said to her, still holding the same grin.

"Shrewd business man, I think I like it." Helga replied smiling confidently.

He returned an equally confident smile.

"Well?" Arnold began implying.

"I'll write out a contract, and have you sign it later this evening. I will be employing your services as body guard. However this is one more thing I need to ask you to make sure your ready for" Helga said stopping and looking at him.

He was listening intently.

"You will constantly be surrounded by fake people, not very many of them are real and all are out to stab you in the back. Are you ready to commit to that?" Helga said to Arnold looking at him.

Arnold walked closer to her, and slowly and seductively placed his lips by her ear.

"Your preaching to the choir sweetheart." Arnold said, as he quickly nibbled her ear.

Arnold began walking towards the door, somehow Helga knew he went to go get his things which was odd.

Neither of them said this to each other.

"Don't come complaining to me when you realize I'm right!" Helga yelled after him, and in a few moments, he was gone.

"He'll be back" Helga said snorting at the door before walking upstairs to go bathe and get dressed in something else, and now find a way to draw up the papers.

**- End Of Chapter 7**


	8. Chapter 8: Proclamation of Love

**Chapter 8: Proclamation of Love**

Arnold decided to take the bus, seeing as it would be less conspicuous Sitting in the back of the bus, he decided to lean back and relax into his thoughts, seeing as his stop was near the end of the bus ride. He had no idea she felt this way about him, sure Phil may have mentioned something to him about it later but now that he really did take a minute to think about it, he had a sneaking suspicion Unfortunately he left that world behind him years ago, but in a way it made him smile. Not normally being devious or anything, really smile. From that place that was unknown to him, to the little boy who was always nice to everyone. It did remind him of that conversation he had with Gerald way back when they were kids and Rhonda did the marriage fortune teller. He remembered how devastated he was at the thought of having to marry Helga as a older man. Marriage...he honestly didn't know if he could do it. There was so much blood on his hands from his lack of mercy and murder in Brazil, and even in the states. It was all he knew how to do. He knew so many dark, evil, and descriptive things he could do to the human body. Well as far as murder was concerned. Yet still, that woman's screeching, wailing and crying...made his heart sink now. Although he did enjoy murder as twisted as it was...he wanted to stop. He didn't want to hurt anymore. He didn't want to be empty inside anymore. But, when he kissed her, sure he wanted to fuck her till she could no longer move...but it was something else...when he kissed her, he felt like his heart had taken flight. It felt light, airy, and happy. He was so confused. He cared for her, and he couldn't stand to loose her. Was it love? He hadn't felt love for anything, no friend, woman, or plant for that matter. He destroyed everything in his path, and death surrounded him like a warm blanket cloaking him. It wasn't the Grim Reaper following him all around, for a time...he was the Grim Reaper. A small devilish smile played upon his lips, as he tilted his head back and closed his eyes. He instantly saw Helga yelling and scowling at him when they were kids...

"_I don't know why anybody would wanna be partners with a dopey football head, your always walking around with your head in the clouds!_"

"_The only time I yell and scowl is when I'm hanging around you!_"

"_Me hang around you? That's a laugh_"

"_Nice pj's __Jr_!"

_"Oh that's just brilliant!"_

"_Okay here we are, right back where we started. We've been around the park 3 stinking times! And do you have the egg? No. Do I have the egg? No. Hm lets see why don't either of us have the egg? Oh that's right, because you lost it!_"

He smiled as his memories of her yelling at him, because now he looked at those memories as home. No longer foreign to him.

_"I've been madly in love with you since I first met you"_

_"Arnold!"_

_"Hey football head"_

"_All I was trying to do was get along with you! You started it not me._"

All he heard was her voice from when they were younger to now, his heart began racing at his memories of her.

"Oh shit" He muttered under his breath to himself. He placed his face in his hands and began rubbing his blonde hair, making it messier. He didn't want this to happen, because now that it did he knew what he had to do. He couldn't take her job offer, and he had to leave her.

"Goddammit" Arnold began cursing towards his self.

"I love her" He finally said under his breath, knowing it was the truth as much as he loved senseless murder. His face now looking at the floor of the bus lane. Should he say goodbye? Or take the offer of employment? Should he distance himself from her? He knew he had to, and yet somehow...he didn't want to. Could he really protect her like he said he would? He would be in the limelight, which in his world meant...easy to find. If anyone found out hes in love with her, they would use her to their advantage. He just didn't know what to do anymore. He will gather his things, and go to see her one last time. He breathed in a heavy sigh as the bus finally came to a stop.

"Finally!" He said as he was now in desperate need of a drink, and a smoke.

* * *

Helga was already sitting in her large bathroom bathing and relaxing in a bubble bath. She had her wine, as she was listening to the radio, part of her job was listening to new songs that come out as they did and remembering almost everyone on the off chance she were to meet one of them. The song that soon came on could not have described her situation better. Helga rose to take a sip of her wine, and listened to the lyrics of the song. It hooked her from the very first line of the song.

**(DISCLAIMER I DO NOT OWN THE SONG!)**

"_You're so hypnotizing. Could you be the devil? Could you be an angel? Your touch magnetizing. Feels like I am floating, leaves my body glowing_"

As soon as the song began and this is what was said, all she could think about was Arnold, and how dreadfully true it is. When he did touch her, it was unreal...perhaps it was because of the strong love she felt for him and still does.

"They say be afraid. You're not like the others, futuristic lover. Different DNA. They don't understand you" God was that ever true. No one would probably understand how morbidly twisted he is now, but in the same idea, she wanted to believe that he cared about something...he did cry which was a sign of some type of consciousness If she did tell anyone about how dangerous he is, everyone would tell her to stay away from him. Worst part is, he knows how deceitfully charming, and all the more alluring he is. Which makes for a dangerous man, period.

_"[Chorus]You're from a whole other world A different dimension You open my eyes And I'm ready to go, lead me into the light_

_Kiss me, ki-ki-kiss me Infect me with your love and Fill me with your poison_

_Take me, ta-ta-take me Wanna be a victim Ready for abduction_

_Boy, you're an alien Your touch so foreign It's supernatural Extraterrestrial"_

She was shocked at how disturbingly true this song was to her thoughts right now. He was, and is different and he did open her eyes to some of the true horrors of reality and how it can change a person drastically. God that mans kiss, was too sinfully delicious to be real. Helga wanted nothing more than for him to take her right then and there when he said it. But she had to reserve herself, even though she finally told him how she felt for him over, what? 20 something long years? Helga never even bothered with dating...ever, sure she went out on a few here and there, but she always wondered about Arnold and how he was doing. So it never worked out.

_"You're so supersonic Wanna feel your powers, stun me with your lasers Your kiss is cosmic Every move is magic"_

"Mmm" Helga murmured to herself at the thoughts of him. The way he did move though was controlled, calm, and his eyes was what turned her on the most about him. How they shifted colors, and how they said so much without saying anything at all. What exactly was it that he does to her?

_[Chorus]_

_"This is transcendental On another level Boy, you're my lucky star_

_I wanna walk on your wavelength And be there when you vibrate For you I'll risk it all"_

Helga had to stop for a second, and re gather herself at this part. Was she willing to risk her own life to be with him? Was she willing to trade in everything that she has now for a life of hardships with the man shes in love with? Who is literally past fifty shades of fucked up. Why not try more like a thousand shades of fucked up, in Arnold's case. Although she did want to be with him, she just didn't know if she was ready to give up everything. Or maybe she was, sure she had all the money and success any woman could ever want...but the only man she wanted to be with her whole life, as childish as it is...was and always will be Arnold. But what about her life? She was too damned precious to let herself go, maybe a few years ago, sure. But not now. But what did she live for? To educate others that life is never as bad as it seems? Yeah, it is actually. Look at her, product of an abusive father, a mother who didn't give two sacks of shits if she lived or died and an overly jealous attention hogging older sister. She wanted to talk with Arnold, and bare all...she had a bad feeling, and although Arnold can be precise...nothing could counter Helga's intuition.

_"[Chorus]"_

_"Aaaand that was Katy Perry with her hit song ET."_

Helga stared at the radio, and decided to turn it down. Her thoughts were too probing and going way to fast, or was it the wine? No. It just meant she hadn't had enough yet. She could reason through all this as many times as she wanted to, and still came to the same conclusion...he's highly dangerous, and still loves him enough to want him to be around. What scared her the most, was that she knew how good he was at hiding. Hell, the fact that he can show up in random places without her hearing so much as a sound of his footsteps, meant to her that he was probably good at hiding in the shadows. So if he does decide to leave her, she won't know what else to do. She wanted to tell him all about her, she may not have had as rough a life as his...but some things she went through and she was alone just as he was. Perhaps they were alike, in more ways than she would've let on. Could he tell that they were? Helga not seeing as so much as therapist decided to carry the same burdens of her life as well. Now she realized how much of a fool her reaction was earlier last night. She was cold, mean, distant even. She knows what it feels like to be broken and empty inside...it was all she could think of when he wailed on her face as a teenager. She took another sip of wine and began to relax again into her tub.

"I would give anything to know what your thinking, Ms. Pataki_"_ Helga heard a familiar voice say. Helga now panicking, rose from her bathtub as her eyes began scanning the room quickly out of fear. She finally caught the sight of bright blue eyes in the shadow, behind the door way of her bathroom.

"Arnold! Crimeny what are you doing here?" Helga merely yelled at him, not rising from the bath, hoping whatever dissolved bubbles were left were enough to cover her body from him. He smirked, and although his body was completely encased in the shadow, all she could see was his eyes and his smile. It was playful, dark and devious. He then decided to walk out of the shadows and into the light of the bathroom, he had changed clothes. He was wearing a black wife beater, and dark wash loose fitting jeans, allowing his muscular physique to show through the top he was wearing and black shoes. His chest was rather protruding, and broad and it was quite rude...Here she was naked, and he...a bit more exposed than usual...oh my, this was not a good situation.

"What were you thinking about Helga?" Arnold asked sincerely and honestly, it actually caught her off guard for a second. She blinked for a few seconds.

"Don't blink away your answer, I want to know. Please tell me." Arnold asked her, almost now pleading. He really did seem genuine, sweet, and gentle. Helga looked away from him, and flushed a bit, took a sip of her wine before speaking.

"I never really did get to tell you much about me or what I've been through myself...so I guess I might as well tell you now." Helga said, now realizing whatever she was feeling earlier as far as her intuition was concerned...it was true. This thought made her heart sink, and almost cry...but remained the same cool composure as he. Arnold then sat on the edge of the bath tub seeming to ignore the fact that Helga was naked under the water, and his eyes merely focused intently on her. This was so new for her, having to talk about herself. She was almost too nervous, but she didn't care, not when it came to him anyways.

"When I moved away in 7th grade...the whole reason I asked to move away was because I had my heart broken by you, and the worst part is, I was too much of a coward to tell you myself. Its stupid really, how could I have had my heart broken when you didn't even know you had it in the first place?" Helga said chuckling to herself.

"I too was a child as well, and after we moved...things just got worse from there. Once I told Olga why I wanted to move, she was the only one to convince Miriam and Bob that the change would be good for us. However when I asked, it didn't happen but when Olga asked we were completely moved out, in two weeks." Helga began saying, as the look of sadness came to her eyes.

"Since Bob we moved, Bob was unable to find a job and unfortunately the people he hired ran his business bankrupt. Shortly afterwards, Miriam did nothing all day as usual and just became a deadbeat. But...I-" Helga began to say, tears welling in her eyes. She looked away from Arnold before she spoke.

"Bob abused me, and hit me. Which is why I usually always wear makeup. I've made so many trips to the hospital I began to loose count. Miriam never stuck up for me, only encouraged it because she was upset we were broke all the time. I tried to look for work...but it kept going, like clockwork. Every day, from night well into the mornings..." Helga's voice was now dry at this point, and her tears fell from her face. She held back sobs that came up in her throat.

"I cried myself to sleep so many times, and when I decided to call Olga for help, she merely swept it under the rug. This went on for roughly a year or two...and then one day I decided to move out. I had no idea where I was going...when..." Helga said but then stopped herself, almost as if she was trying to swallow her sickness down.

"As I was looking for a place to stay...I...I-" Helga couldn't do it. It was too painful even for her, now she understood how difficult it must have been for Arnold to tell her everything he had been through.

"Helga, what happened. I want to know." Arnold merely said, his voice very gentle, soothing, and comforting. She turned away from Arnold completely, her back now facing him before she spoke.

"I was raped." Helga said, gripping and clutching her naked body, as the sobs she had been holding in her throat came up.

"What?" Arnold said, sounding rather shocked and the angriest he had ever sounded before since they started talking.

"I was...raped. It was two of them." Helga said still not looking at him. She felt his gaze turn away from her, he was probably looking at the floor or something.

"After that, I called Olga again for help...and she was so reluctant to help me. I didn't call the cops, I just laid there lifeless, and completely uttely used and spent, it took what little energy I had to even call he-" Helga began to say, but was cut short.

"Stop. No more." Arnold said, his voice dropping an octave. Was he upset? Sad? She couldn't tell.

"I must be the worst scum of the earth, here I was dealing with my problems and I didn't think to call my friends either. I didn't want to burden them, and yet still...I can't stand this body when I look at it. Its completely dirty, and filthy. I bathe, and I can't get there smells of whiskey and cigarette smoke off of me. I have scrubbed myself till I have bled, and I can't..." Helga said, no longer caring who heard what she was saying. Yet somehow she could feel Arnold tensing up behind her.

"But the sad part is, Arnold...If I would have known you were suffering as you were...I would have came back in a heart beat. But I didn't know, and...you were alone and I'm sorry." Helga said, her head now sinking into her chest as her uncontrollable sobs took hold of her.

"Don't tell me sorry, I'm the one who should be sorry." Arnold said, now completely sad. He grit his teeth, and spoke again.

"Helga, turn around and stand up." Arnold merely said to her as an order instead of a request. Helga turned towards him slowly until she was facing him but began sinking herself lower into the water.

"Stand up." Arnold said, now commanding her to. Helga was confused as to why he would ask her this after she had just told him how she felt about herself. Arnold's expression softened before speaking to her again.

"Do you trust me?" Arnold said to her his voice gentle and loving. Helga merely looked up at him, and nodded her head.

"Stand up...please." Arnold said, a lot more gentler this time. Helga got the shivers, she was about to reveal her bare naked body to the only man she had ever loved her whole life, and for what reason she did not know. Helga rose from the water slowly, her arms still covering her breasts as she finally stood.

"Arms." Arnold said still very gently to her.

"Whats the point of this?" Helga said, now terrified. Arnold blinked in response to her, and said nothing. Perhaps he didn't like repeating himself either. She breathed a heavy sigh as she slowly removed her arms covering her breasts. Arnold then eyed her up and down, slowly taking in every detail in his mind. Helga was blushing profuciously not looking at him.

"Look at me Helga" Arnold replied to her, there eyes now meeting. He smiled a warm gentle smile at her.

"I don't see anything wrong with you, Helga in all my years of being with women...none of them look as beautiful as you do in this moment right now. Never, ever say to me that your ashamed of your body. Ever." Arnold said only looking into her eyes now. Helga not breaking away from his eyes, let her tears fall silently with no sobs. Helga smiled at him. Arnold smiled devilishly at her before he spoke again.

"Helga, you have no idea how badly I want you right now." Arnold said, the look of love lust in his eyes. This was different, this look wasn't there earlier. Was that love? No, it couldn't be. Helga just probably imagined it, right?

Arnold stepped closer to her, where there faces were mere inches from each other. Arnold decided to reach and drain the water in the tub, his lips brushing past her ears briefly sending shivers down her spine.

"Get dressed, we will finish this conversation out in the room" Arnold said walking over to hand her a towel as he walked out of the bathroom and shut the door like a normal person would do. Helga was stunned, here was this man she thought was a complete psycho who she loved so much...and yet, he seemed to have returned the same decency and respect even though she was naked. Or maybe he was playing with her and teasing her. Either way, no man had ever said those words to her. She has never let a man get this close, and it was freaky scary...now she knew how Arnold felt having told her the truth, because she did the same. But she made a promise and intended to keep it.

* * *

She was raped? What? Arnold could not even wrap his mind around the idea, of this. It made him so angry it made him want to destroy everything. Now his regret was not having stayed for her. He had always been there for her in the past, so why did it have to change into this? All this sorrow, death, and confusion. Here was this woman who may not have killed someone but might as well have...It took everything inside him not to keep pacing around the room and thinking enticing thoughts of murder of the two who raped her. However if they just so happened to be someone in his circle, and if they remembered Helga...they would already know too much. Arnold plopped himself on Helga's bed and sunk his face in his hands. It took every last bit of his strength to not destroy something or someone. If it was one thing Helga needed to know about him...he was not just a shadow dweller...for as long as he lived in darkness and shadow, he IS the darkness. No man, woman, child, politician, was far past his skills of murder. Hell back when he was in Brazil he would think of different ways to kill a particular victim because he was bored. But no, this was not supposed to happen to her...they were supposed to ignore her and pay all the attention to Olga, and keep it simple. Not beating your own daughter and then have you get raped afterwards. His fists were gripped so tight on his jeans, his knuckles almost went white. How could she have said she was disguisted with her body? He meant what he said back in the bathroom. She really was a beautiful woman, and now he just realized how crazy in love he was with her. Her breasts were perky, well rounded and probably soft, her waist was only a few inches smaller than her breasts, and her hips came outward a bit making her look like the ideal coke bottle of curvature. Her skin looked smooth, soft, and supple. The way she kissed him, her deep brown eyes...she probably must taste incredible...Hmmm...Arnold let out a low husky growl from his throat, and then took a moment to regather himself before she came out. He could hear her footsteps and if he wasn't distracted could probably hear her heartbeat. It was something he learned to do when he was in Brazil, something someone told him how to do, as well as his sense of smell. He trained his nose too. Its how he survived, and how he was able to enjoy what he did for as long as he did.

Helga opened the door, wearing a pink robe and her damp blonde hair came cascading down still framing her face beautifully.

"What are you thinking about football head?" Helga said, now a bit more relaxed around him. This made him happy. He smiled.

"I could ask you the same Ms. Pataki" Arnold said to her, a playful smile playing on his lips now. Helga blinked her eyes in surprise at him.

"How do I know right? Well I've figured that your more like me than you care to admit, and I know I think alot, so hence my conclusion" Arnold said, matter of factly. Helga finally broke into a smile before sitting down next to him. Arnold turned towards her, not saying anything else, his face now focused and intentionally listening to her. Helga breathed a heavy sigh before speaking.

"After that happened, and I called Olga...I asked her for help...she was reluctant at first, but then when I told her I have no where to go she decided to put me up in a motel. At the motel, I began writing...and you know what I wrote, and who I called for every time something bad was happening to me?" Helga said her face now sad. Arnold's fist began getting tighter, his facial expression did not change.

"You were, I remember what you were always telling everyone else...and this is when I adopted your do goody, head in the clouds behavior...I believed in you, and you were all I had, for hope, for inspiration. I've wrote poetry about you since I was 3 years old. It was always you in my world, and it was all because...you noticed me, just as your doing now." Helga said, still not looking at him but now just speaking.

"One day as I'm writing, I decided to write an auto biography of my life and I tried to sell it because Olga was down my back about me paying her back. So I set up shop in a rich neighborhood, and that's when I met Jean who is now my publicist. Here I am now, a rich, famous woman, to the point now where Olga can't stand me at all because shes not in the limelight anymore. My parents are always asking me for money, and I choose to ignore them, not to mention whenever I would go to an awards show, Bob would always talk about how he's so proud of me, and how he always thinks that I was a winner. What a crock of shit, lying to everyone like that." Helga said now stopping herself. Arnold's face looked grim and upset. She couldn't tell if it was anger, or sadness. He breathed a small short chuckle under his breath.

"We are alike...Helga, and the ironic thing is...had we both never left each other...we would never be where we are now." Arnold said allowing his wisdom to show.

"Arnold, I have never dated or had sex after that. All I could think about was you, because it was always you." Helga said, her hands now touching his face...she yearned to kiss him again. He grabbed her hand abruptly and shot her a serious look.

"Don't. Helga, I might not hold back." Arnold said, the look of love lust in his eyes again. Was it really that? There it was for a second time. Helga scooched closer to his face to where they were only mere inches away from each other. Helga just looked at him, her expression assured, trusting, and loving as well. There eyes did not break, they were locked. Arnold let go of Helga's hand, as her hand began to fall on Arnold's shoulder slowly.

"Fuck it." Arnold said, as he pressed his lips against hers.

Helga could no longer resist him, she wanted him now. Helga deepened the kiss between them, as there tongues met. Arnold bit her bottom lip playfully again, and Helga let out a small moan in response. Arnold then moved the kiss to her neck leaving a fiery trail. He growled in response. Arnold grabbed Helga by her waist and pulled her closer pressing her body against his, and Helga moaned at the electricity between them. Arnold then began sucking on her neck gently at first, then a bit more forcefully. Helga began to pull Arnold's blonde hair, and he jerked himself towards her as his breathing quickened. He moved away from her neck and looked at her, his eyes were blazing blue and he licked his lips. It sent a shiver down her spine. Arnold then slowly began to remove the robe she was wearing from her shoulders allowing it to drop slowly. Helga then pulled the shirt off of Arnold, and Helga gaped open mouth at his body.

"I take it, being a war guerrilla has done your body some service" Helga commented on, still stunned, because his body was cut and rock solid. Arnold chuckled lightly, devilishly. His hands trailed from her face, down to her shoulders, as he slowly cupped her breast in his hand and squeezed lightly. Helga's eyes rolled back and she tilted back, letting herself completely go. Arnold then slowly licked her from her neck to her ear lobe and began to suck on it lightly. Helga moaned in response. Helga then laid back against the bed, and Arnold laid on top of her. There bare bodies now pressed together. He took her lips again, and she returned the fiery kiss. Arnold lifted himself from the kiss and looked into her eyes, deeply.

"Helga, I don't want to fuck you. I want to make love to you. Will you let me?" Arnold said to her, his eyes not taken off of her at all. His eyes were beautiful, not sinister, evil, devious, or any of that. They were completely loving towards her. Helga shed one tear as he said this.

"Yes, Arnold...I've waited my whole life for you." There eyes locked once more.

"Your love is that much for me?" Arnold said still over top of her, not moving and there eyes locked as they spoke to each other.

"Yes, Arnold." Helga said, now completely relaxed.

"Helga...I...love you. Only you." Arnold replied to her his face serious, genuine, and so gentle now. Helga didn't know whether to cry, or laugh. Not because it was funny, but twenty three years of never hearing those words...from him. She shook her head, resumed looking at him.

"Stupid football head, I love you too." Helga said, as she grabbed him by his blonde hair and they resumed there fiery passionate kiss.

* * *

That night, was the best night of her life. It wasn't just sex, it was love. He caressed her, he was gentle, and he made love to her, and only her. It was no one else but them two. She felt beautiful, and loved for the first time in her whole life. At this point it didn't matter what he had been through, or what either of them had been through. In that moment, or that night...she knew she was hooked to his love, for good. That man was a God in bed, and she knew it. Helga lost count how many times she had climaxed in that one night. It was all she needed, was him. Only Arnold. But she knew, her intuition was never wrong, only this time...she was really, really hoping it was.

* * *

How to describe that night? He couldn't. He had nothing to compare it to, thats how wonderful it was for him. For once, he let himself go...not being paranoid, not worrying about anything, but experiencing the love he finally felt for her. His life was full of a barren wasteland, and she had completed him. She gave him a reason to give up all of that, just to be with her. All his life, he was empty following the shadow of a person who he once was, and yet here she was...completing him, and filling that gap in no way that all the vices he took up in his life could have. She could say she wasn't good in bed all she wanted to, but she was able to keep up with him which he was surprised by. Most other girls would be spent and passed out, not Helga. There was nothing he could compare it to, because he's never made love to any woman. This terrified him, because he knew...as long as he was in some way directly or indirectly the darkness himself, he would be putting Helga in danger. He now realized, he was unable to jepordize the one thing...he would give his life for because of his love for her.

**-End Of Chapter 8**


	9. Chapter 9: Job Offer?

**Chapter 9: Job Offer?**

Helga awoke to the sunlight that peeked into room, and she slowly rose from the bed. She turned to look at Arnold, as he laid there naked and sleeping. Actually sleeping. As far as Helga knew, he told her he hasn't slept in years...and perhaps it was because he had nightmares and now just functioned with no sleep. This warmed her heart, as she was staring at how gentle and angelic he looked. She watched his chest rise and fall matching his breathing, his hair was messy as some strands fell over the side of his face. It was unfair how well built his body had been over the years. Helga was sore everywhere, and she wanted to touch him. Somewhere deep down she was afraid to do so because she didn't want to trigger anything to have him attack her or awake abruptly. He looked so peaceful, and happy. Helga then began to reach for his hair, as she played with it in between her fingers, as she was smiling. If she had to do it all over again, take all the abuse she did in her life to reach this moment with the man she had pined for her entire life, she would do it again without a second thought.

"Soft isn't it?" Arnold said, his eyes remaining closed as he smiled. Helga stopped and removed her hand from the lock of his hair she was playing with. He was awake the whole time?

"Penny for your thoughts?" Arnold said, his eyes now opened and he gracefully turned to face her, as he rested his head in his hand. His eyes were bright, but not evil at all...those were the eyes, that spoke of only love. She smiled at him, before speaking.

"I was just thinking...if I had to be seperated from you, and take the same path...and I mean all of it, the abuse, the hurt, pain, everything...if I had to take it all over again to be in this moment with you...I would do it without a second thought." Helga said smiling at him, letting her eyes do the conversing between them. Arnold smiled his warm, gentle smile as he kissed her again. Gentle and warm, and his lips were soft. He broke away and looked at her.

"Ironically, while you were playing with my hair I was thinking the same thing...Helga. If I could take all the murder, guilt, pain, frustration, and lonelieness...no second thoughts here either." Arnold said, smiling charmingly at her as he was playing with a lock of her blonde hair. Helga smiled, and took his lips again. This was almost unreal, she almost thought she was dreaming. This man, who had done so much evil horrible things in the past, could be this loving and sweet. They fell against her bed post and Helga fell back on top of him. He returned her passionate kiss, but broke it off slowly.

"Hey now, don't do that...otherwise you leave me no choice but to fuck you." Arnold said, still smiling his devilishly charming smile at her. Helga chuckled under her breath, but then stopped herself as she laid on top of him, bodies pressed together but she didn't move.

"Arnold..." Helga merely said, now looking saddened. Arnold caressed her face his expression softening.

"I know...I can't put you in danger my love. You know this more than I do. I wouldn't know what to do if someone came after you and harmed you. You are all I have in this world, please Helga...understand-" Arnold said still caressing her face.

"Don't say that! Its not fair." Helga said now realizing what he was about to tell her. It was a nagging silent conversation they had between there eyes so many times. They both knew, he had to leave.

"Arnold, when you told me everything that night don't you think I had accepted the dangers of your world? Of your reality? Don't you think that irregardless of how terrified I was of you, and everything about you...I still kept coming back...so please-" Helga said, attempting not to cry.

"This isn't the same thing Helga, its not that the people I've dealt with are dangerous, I'm not worried about them. I'm talking about me, I'm dangerous and I would never want you to see me...like that." Arnold said his eyes trailing away from her face. Helga looked shocked.

"So you know you can protect me like you promised? But your worried about you?" Helga said completely stunned. His looked turned serious, and a shadow seemed to have overhung his face.

"Yes, Helga...I can't have you see that side of me. I've spent years perfecting my technique, but that was because I felt empty inside. Now that I know how much I'm in love with you...I cannot guarantee my control if someone were to harm you." Arnold said, hoping she would understand the severity of his words. Helga eyes widened.

"What do you mean?" Helga said stunned, and shocked at what he was saying as she rose from him to look at him fully. He smiled evilly, and his eyes lost love and were now cold.

"Would you care to see? Or would you like a story? If you say yes to either, I suggest you don't eat anything or drink anything because it may come back up. This is not for the weak minded." Arnold said, still looking cold and evil. She almost wanted to say no to either, but she certainly didn't want to see him kill something.

"Why do you ask?" Helga asked confused and wondering why he was offering to let her see that side of him, even though it terrified her to the very core of her being.

"Helga, you need to know...just how...creative I can be. That way you will understand, and hopefully you will make the right decision to stay away from me." Arnold said to her, his voice now cold. Why now? Helga gulped, and her throat felt dry. She decided to lay back and pull the covers up to listen to his story.

"I'm sorry, I have to do this to you." Arnold said, warmth and love returning in his voice for a brief moment. Arnold breathed in a long breath, and closed his eyes that same sadistic evil smile returning.

"Do you know, I especially loved killing children...Helga, and do you know why?" Arnold said, his voice now lost of all warmth. This sent a shiver down her spine and she didn't want to ask. Helga then braced herself before asking.

"No, why?" Helga responded. Arnold let out a small silent sadistic laugh rise from his throat, his eyes still closed.

"Because all I saw was myself, in each child I have ever killed. That stupid, naiive, insolent child I was back then never knowing how truly awful the world is." Arnold said, still smiling sadistically not looking at her. He opened his eyes, not looking in her direction but Helga knew. If she did, she would feel the need to run for her life.

"I was trained on how to smell, and how to listen for heart beats as well." Arnold said, now looking at her. Helga's eyes widened at the sight of his eyes. This was something else, it looked as if the Grim Reaper had showed up in her bedroom. Helga was too frozen to move, but could not stop staring.

"Judging from your quickened heart beats your absolutely terrified of me, and the smell of fear cloaks you in your sweat. Your body is frozen because your afraid I might do something to you. This is the way most of my victims felt right before I...well, I think you get it now." Arnold said, still maintaing the same smile and look of hell in his bright blue eyes.

Helga then relaxed a bit, and looked into him.

"So you see my love, I cannot trust even myself around you. I love you too damn much." Arnold said, his eyes still looking like pure evil, but his voice warm and gentle. Helga then inched herself closer to his face, and took his lips again in a short brief kiss. She moved away from him before speaking, as she returned the same firm look as well.

"You can't scare me away, I can be terrified of you all I want...but I know you won't do it. All you need to worry about is being with me, and keeping your promise. You are a man of your word right? Look, I'm not saying that your a terrifying man because you are. But I know if you love me as much as you say that you do, nothing like that will ever happen. I love you, for you...and all of you. So for once, just shut up and be happy for once in your life. Starting today, I'm taking my own advice. Just be happy, ok?" Helga said, her eyes serious and cold as well. Arnold smirked back at her.

"I knew you were an incredible woman, Helga." Arnold said the warmth and playfulness in his voice slowly returning as he kissed her again. Helga giggled happily, and Arnold returned the same chuckle. He kissed her face, and her eyes as he pulled her close and held her tightly.

Helga's phone rang and she picked it up.

"Hello?" Helga said.

"I take it you've been enjoying your time off, seeing as you haven't been to my office in a few days. Your staff has been calling my office like crazy wondering where the hell you disappeared to!" The familiar voice began to yell at her over the phone. Helga sighed

"Hi, Jean. Whats up?" Helga said, Arnold now realesing his grip over her and Helga scooted to the edge of the bed.

"Get your ass over here, you owe your fans a public apology." Jean snapped.

"What for? I didn't have any bookings. Did I?" Helga said, now worried.

"Yes, you did. In fact, you had a party to be to, another awards show, and three signings for the last two days. I've been calling you, and you didn't pick up. I thought you had died or something!" Jean still yelling over the phone.

"Thats it, I'm employing a staff at your house. Live in makeup artist, live in hair stylist, and a personal assistant." Jean said to Helga, still upset. Helga smiled deviously at her own thoughts.

"What about a body guard?" Helga said quietly hunching over the phone. Helga could tell Arnold was studying her, why does he always do that? She heared Arnold chuckle in the background. Jean was silent over the phone.

"I don't see why not, but you haven't had any crazed out fans lately have you?" Jean said sounding perplexed. She could feel Arnold getting suspicious.

"No, not yet. If I keep working on my fame its bound to get there and I want to be completely ready for it when it happens." Helga said, straightening her posture now speaking confidently and firmly. Helga could tell that Arnold was smiling behind her, warmly. This was strange, now it was like she could tell Arnolds movements without ever looking at him, was this what it was like?

"Alright, I take it you have someone in mind?" Jean said questioningly. Helga smiled wide like a cheshire cat.

"I do, and I'll even bring him to the office for an interview. Hows that sound?" Helga responded confidently, she almost having an evil snicker under her breath.

"Sounds good, I'll send the team your way. Be here in an hour or so. Bye." Jean said hanging up the phone. Helga hung up the phone and still maintained her devilish smirk.

"What are you planning Ms. Pataki?" Arnold said as he came from behind her and whispered in her ear. It caught Helga off guard and made her jump for a quick second. Helga regained her composure as she rose from the bed and looked at him seriously, now all business woman.

"Go take a shower, I'll tell Jean to send over a chef and a shopping assistant as well. I need you ready for an interview." Helga said, now taking command of the coming situation. Arnold smiled deviously.

"Alright Helga, I'll go get ready." Arnold said, merely obeying her, as he rose from the bed and walked towards the bathroom. Helga could not stop staring at his naked body from behind. Arnold stopped in front of the doorway to the bathroom and spoke to her without turning his head to look at her.

"I know your eyeing me love." Arnold said simply, his voice playful and seeming to be relashing in the moment, a small smirk playing on his lips. Helga did not blush in return, merely returned the same devious smile. She said nothing to him. Helga walked up to him from behind and hugged him. Both there naked bodies pressing together as Helga sweetly kissed his back.

"I love you too Helga." Arnold replied back to her, as he walked off towards the shower.

* * *

They had alot of silent conversations. It was a feeling they both felt for each other, that was too strong that sometimes needed little to no words. How was that possible? Helga thought they were so different only to realize that it was a lie. If she had the opportunity to murder those men who raped her she would have. Which is why it didn't frighten her, I mean he did. But her love for him superceeded that. She would be a fool not to admit there was a part of her that was just as equally twisted as well. Thats why she was so drawn to him, more than she was before. Sure when they were kids, she dreamed they were going to get married and he was going to say sweet poetry to her. However this was much better than poetry. This was real, and it was both of them being completely honest and up front about there lives. It felt wonderful, because Helga had not told a soul except for Olga. Everyone else she kept at a distance. She was just as cold, and shrewd and she understood now. Arnold used his primal instincts to survive, and Helga used her intuition. Perhaps this is why they worked so well together.

Helga now dressed at this point wearing some sweat pants and a simple shirt that hung rather loose on her, Helga then grabbed her phone and called Jean back and asked her for the people she needed for the job. If Arnold was going to be her body guard he needed to dress the part, the only thing she wasn't sure about was could he really clean up enough to act like a proper member of society? Now that they talked about him not leaving Helga felt a bit more secure. They loved each other, and that was all she could ask for. She needed him by her side, not to mention he was incredible in bed. Helga wanted to peek at him showering, but she knew him well enough that he would know she was looking. How did he do that? Oh yeah, he could listen to heartbeats and smell certain scents off of people. Thats just crazy, how in the hell did he learn how to do that? If so, then who taught him? Nevermind, she didn't want to know. Her phone suddenly rang interrupting her thoughts. She looked at the number and dreaded answering the phone.

"What is it?" Helga responded.

"You bitch, how could you just abandon us like this?" Bob yelled to her over the phone. Helga tensed up at him yelling.

"What are you talking about?" Helga snapped back at them.

"You know were barely making it by...we depended on you, and here you are living in a lap of luxury and can't even send your old man as much as some money to help us out!" Bob yelled his speech slurring.

"Helga! This is your mother, and your the devil! Demon spawn! Insolent bastard bitch child! I should have never given birth to you!" Miriam yelled to her. Helga froze and tears streamed from her face and she grit her teeth.

"THEN MAYBE YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE!" Helga yelled over the phone and she hung up the phone and threw it on the bed. Arnold stormed out of the bathroom, wearing only his dark wash jeans as they hung loose from his hips. He rushed towards Helga before speaking.

"Whats wrong? What happened? Helga, talk to me." Arnold said, sounding earnest, eager, and his demeanor in panic mode. Helga was now embarrassed and decided to shrug it aside.

"It was noth-" Helga began to say, but Arnold placed his hand over her mouth cutting her short. His look was a bit more serious.

"Who was it that called you?" Arnold said, looking into her eyes still serious awaiting her response. He slowly removed his hand from her mouth and she spoke.

"My parents" Helga said looking into Arnolds chest. Arnold looked like he had already known what had happened even though he wasn't there. His face was empathetic to her. Arnold suddenly tensed up.

"Three, two...one." Arnold said, his eyes closing and as soon as he said "one" the doorbell rang. Helga looked stunned at him. Arnold smiled knowingly. Arnold exchanged one last kiss with her before he walked back into the bathroom to finish dressing. How the hell did he do that? Helga kept thinking. She snapped out of her thoughts, and then walked downstairs to let her crew inside.

* * *

Helga let each of them in and she met them, some of them carrying traveling bags, and it now set in to her that they were going to live in with her. Great. Helga tried to be a good host and showed each of them to there rooms, even though she had an apartment...it was a large one with at least 4 rooms in case she had a party or something. Each of them introduced themselves and basically kissed Helga's ass at how good her book was, and all that. Helga followed the normal social ques and how to answer questions gracefully and eloquently.

"Who is that standing by the steps?" Her makeup artist said, motioning towards it. Helga didn't need to look to see who it was, because she already knew who it was but to appease her new artist, turned to glance at him. Arnold flashed a dazzling, charming smile and offered his hand to the makeup artist who had been staring flirtatiously at him.

"Hello, I'm Arnold its nice to meet you and you are...?" Arnold said awaiting her response, seeming interested...almost too interested.

"Oh, where are my manners! I'm Jasmine, nice to meet you Arnold." She said offering her hand to shake his hand, and he gripped it firmly. She could not take her eyes off of him.

"Uh, Jasmine...I think you should finish unpacking." Helga responded a as politely as she could without showing her irritation.

"Yes Maam." She said, as she scurried away towards her room downstairs. Helga shot Arnold a look that said more than wtf.

"For the job, I need a good word. Remember?" Arnold said, now smiling more devilishly at Helga.

"You are such an idiot." Helga said to him, turning away from him. He grabbed her from behind and nibbled at her ear. Helga smiled and let out a small silent giggle. It was only brief though, perhaps he didn't want to be seen in front of others.

"I'm heading out on the patio to smoke a cig" Arnold said to Helga briefly, already started walking towards the large patio before she could say anything.

"I'll be downstairs." Helga said towards him, even though his back was turned away from her...he did have this incredible hearing ability, which she still needed to ask him how and where the hell did he learn that shit from. She then proceeded to walk downstairs to get ready for her meeting with Jean, and made the necessary preperations for getting Arnold ready for his interview.

* * *

He had inhaled a cigarette which he hadn't had one since last night. Helga really was truly an incredible woman. However in Arnold s mind, he wanted to push her to show that side that is similar to his own. Not forcefully, but he saw it. Cold, emotionless, and domineering. He inhaled and breathed out allowing the smoke to float in the afternoon air. It was chilly, not necessarily cold. He loved this weather, not only did coffee and cigarettes taste better...but...well, that might be too graphic for now. He smiled a sadistic smile to hisself as he took another puff of his cigarette allowing his body to relax. He was leaning on the end of the patio railing and he was staring at the sky. Could he really take on the job? He knew he could protect her, that was not even a thought in his mind. Its not that he was unstable, but when it came to her...he might be. He had never felt anything like this in so long, it made his heart ache to be next to her more often. But this point was crucial, he couldn't push her away now even if he wanted to. He was not one to put his trust in something he could not see, like blind faith, and trusting the good in people, not when he was submerged in a world where there was NO good in people at all. He needed facts, events, dates, names, and details like that. Helga on the other hand, even though shes been hurt in the past can still trust blindly in people. He was envious of her in a sense. He wish he could, but...the guilt and pain resided inside him like a roach eating away slowly at his insides till he felt nothing. He loved her, and he would give his life to see her happy. That was the bad part. How did he come to love her? Perhaps he had loved her this whole time, and perhaps she was the missing piece in his life. Ironically it was once they both seperated that they both were on there own path to hell and back. He would do it. He would put his trust in there love for each other for once, but he will always remain cautious and paranoid. It was only for her saftey to do so, because now...the only person he loved was her, and no one else. It was keeping him on edge never knowing when something or someone would strike, and in a way he just wanted it to happen so he could put it to rest. Leave all of it behind. Store this insane manic killer to the shelves and attempt to act like a normal person. Sure it was what he wanted, but at this point...he knew both of them were too far gone in there own way to try to do so. For now, he will put his trust and faith in her...not because he believed it would work out for the better. But because he wanted nothing more than to be by her side.

* * *

Helga sat in the chair as the artist, and hair stylist were setting up there equipment. Helga said nothing to them while they were setting up, just stayed to herself and her thoughts. She almost wanted to pinch herself, or something...it was too good to be true, the man she had waited for her whole life...is now in love with her. She just made love to him last night, and it was insanlely good. All she could think about was when they were kids in the fourth grade and how she always made fun of him, and it made her smile. Was it always meant to be? Perhaps it always was...and neither of them knew it. They both lived miserable lives away from each other but together...were genuinely happy, and a bit insane. Perhaps she was too.

"Are you ready hun?" Jasmine the makeup artist said breaking Helga's thoughts. Jasmines makeup belt on and ready for application. Helga smiled at her, and nodded in response.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you earlier Ms. Pataki." Jasmine said, as she was looking for the primer to apply to her face. Helga blinked surprised for a brief moment.

"Its alright, don't worry about it." Helga said, trying to get past this topic and talk about something else. The artist found the primer and applied it to her skin before searching for the correct shade of foundation to apply.

"Is he your boyfriend?" Jasmine said not looking at Helga. Helga averted her eyes from her before responding.

"Yes, he is." Helga replied relectantly. Jasmine smiled warmly at her, as she took used her finger tips to apply the foundation and later began blended it with a beauty blender.

"He's really good looking, charming even, but he has a dark past to him doesn't he?" Jasmine said to Helga, still blending out the makeup on her face. Helga literally felt the blood leave from her face completely. Jasmine smiled warmly at her.

"How do I know is what you wish to ask me? Honey, its not hard to see...look at the way he moves, precise, rigid, and calculated. When I shook his hand, I could see it in his eyes. Call it an older womans intuition if you will." She said, now dusting powder on Helga's face lightly. Helga looked pleading at her, almost as if she wanted to tell her everything.

"Ms. Pataki a word of advice if I may?" Jasmine said putting the tools down, and placed her hands on her hips. Helga felt like a child about to be lectured, but in a way it made her happy. Although she didn't know that. Helga nodded her head in response.

"You know that man is dangerous, and I can tell you love him. Its written all over your face, and I can tell he loves you, just by the way he looks at you. However, unless you want to end up in a ditch somewhere, lying in your own blood lifeless and dead, I suggest you leave him. However this is just my opinion, but you do as you wish." Jasmine said resuming her work. Helga winced at what she said, he would never do that to her...or put her in a situation like that...would he? What would Arnold have to gain from being with her? Okay if it was real like she says it is...then he would get happiness, and maybe...just maybe the ability to learn to be normal. If his love isn't real and hes just playing her...he would get, money, and a job...and she a broken heart. Did she rush into this too quickly without thinking? Did she get caught up in everything that she completely forgot how to guard herself? Helga began to frown.

"You really do love him a whole lot don't you? Tell me, how long have you known him?" Jasmine said, now putting blush on her face.

"My whole life, I've known him since we were three years old. Its silly actually..." Helga said her face sad by her prior thoughts.

"Mmmm, that long? Well, Ms. Pataki...who am I to tell you not to see him? Just be on your toes, okay?" Jasmine said smiling warmly at her. Helga could give this woman a big hug. How was she able to give her advice and make her look beautiful at the same time? Helga smiled warmly at Jasmine and she returned the same smile back at her. Finally, some guidance and someone who actually looks like she gives two cents about the people she meets. Perfect. Jasmine stepped away and regathered her things as she walked down to her room.

"What the hell happened to your hair girl?" Her hair stylist shouted out, as he began working on it. Helga smiled sheepishly not wanting to admit what happened to it. Last night, Arnold, in my bed, making love to me. She smiled at the breif thought. But what did Jasmines advice mean? She she leave him before it gets too tough? No. Helga was one to stick things through, besides...she wasn't about to leave the man she's been madly and almost sickenly in love with since she was 3 years old. Its decided, no matter what happens. She will have to trust in his ability to do his job, and love her like they agreed on. But could she really trust him...with her life? And his life with hers?

* * *

Helga hopped into the limo, now waiting on Arnold to get over towards the limo. Jasmine did a fabulous job on her makeup. Coral toned blush, purple eyeshadow, and lashes for days, and a nude toned lip. Her hair was styled down, straightened and layered where her bangs came in a sideswept bang. Helga saw Arnold walking towards the car, and all she could see was the bottom portion of him.

"Oh my God, hes wearing a suit!" Helga squealed. Arnold finally hopped in the car, and smiled at her.

"Hey Helga." He said simply, his eyes asking how he looked. She sat staring mouth open gaped. The car started moving and they were off.

"Not too shabby right?" Arnold said, now sounding playfully charming.

"Uh yeah! Whoever I hired to do your shopping is permanent!" Helga said practically a yell. Arnold laughed robustly. It was like music to her ears because it was genuine.

His suit was a crisp black suit with pinstripes, a white collard shirt underneath, and a black tie to offset his bright hair and eyes. Helga wanted nothing more than to rip off his clothes and fuck him right here and now.

"Should I ask what your thinking, or can I take a guess?" Arnold said, looking rather evilly at her with a playful lust in his eyes, his eye brow raising at her. Helga flushed red. He chuckled an all knowing chuckle at her.

"Good to know." He said simply, as he decided to lay back his posture open and relaxed. This took Helga off guard for a second, but oh god he looked delicious, now thinking about last night. The way he thrusted inside of her, the way he said her name as he was stroking her, the way his hair smelt...oh god, what was he doing to her?

"Helga dear, your heartbeats are quickening and you smell sweet right now. Meaning, I will fuck you in this limo if I have to." Arnold said, his smirk devilishly charming and sharing an equally lustful gaze exchange. She stopped herself for a second before speaking.

"How in the hell did you learn to do that?" Helga had to ask seeing as it was nagging her for the entirety of most of the day. Arnold looked at her, leaning forward a bit.

"Lets just say, I had a man who spent his entire life to philosophy tell me that there is so much noise around us that we tend not to listen to whats really around us. I was high off drugs one night, at twenty something years old. The man asked me to close my eyes and tell him what I hear. I remember to this very day exactly what my untrained ears heard...I told him I heard bantering, and people yelling." Arnold chuckled for a second before finishing the rest of the story.

"He hit me so hard I barely saw it coming. I was angry at first, and he told me to try again. To open myself to the universe. After that, it just happened...where I began to hear everything...the clinking of glass, the crickets, the grass moving, I even heard the earth move beneath my feet. Soon after that with enough training I learned to listen to heartbeats around me, which in turn...made me to enjoy it-that much more." Arnold said, his expression matter of factly but a lot more warmer than when he would normally tell her these memories. Perhaps it was a relatively good memory for him.

"And the smell?" Helga inquired, her interest piqued. Arnold smiled at her.

"Same thing, unfortunately this one was a bit more painful than training my ear to hear. Which for the sake of conversation I won't tell." Arnold said, and left it at that.

"Thats crazy" Helga replied to him, still stunned knowing that its even possible.

"Something else I was told by a doctor, which I feel everyone should know this...we only use ten percent of our brains, imagine what we would be capable of if we learned to use the other ninety percent." Arnold said, his warm smile now infectious. He looked like a child who had learned some new knowledge and felt the need to tell everyone. It made her smile as well, but he did prove a rather probing interesting point.

The limo came to a stop, and Helga knew they had arrived to the office.

This was going to be interesting, Helga thought to herself, as they both hopped out of the car, they were again greeted by paparazzi, but since Arnold looked really good she had no worrys or concerns.

They both walked into the building, Helga's stomach now in knots. This was the only way Helga could see herself helping Arnold while exploiting his abilities...legally anyways. Plus, they get to be together...so it was a win/win right? They both took the elevator...now both of them silent awaiting what seemed like one of the most important moments for them, and for there relatonship.

**-End Of Chapter 9**


	10. Chapter 10: What The Hell!

**Chapter 10: What The Hell?**

They stood in the elevator together, and Helga reached for Arnold's hand and grabbed it firmly. He flinched at first at the sudden contact but then relaxed. Helga's stomach was in knots, it was one thing to have Helga talk with Jean...but to try to get Arnold a legal paying job that will pay him well, exploit his talents, though she doesn't really care to call them that, and have him be near her all the time...what could possibly be better? He would travel with her, be with her, and be there for the entirety of her career. But was this what he wanted? When he first came over last night, her gut was telling her that he wanted to leave...and she couldn't stand the thought of it. But what did he actually want to do, with his life? It was bugging her the more she reflected on it. Back when they were in middle school, he was good at science...maybe a scientist? She knew he felt some type of remorse for the things he had done...but the other side of him...didn't. Which still sent chills down to her spine, how could you possibly enjoy torture? While taking someone else's life? Especially children...but it did really speak to him...and everything he had been through. Arnold was an orphan, and it probably hurt him the most. Was that it? Sure she knew he was hurting, but since they've been together he strayed away from the topic of Phil and Gertie, and all our classmates...and our lives at Hillwood...Why? As far as she knew, those would be good memories to her. The golden days actually. The elevator door opened and Helga squeezed his hand a bit tighter. Arnold then adjusted his glasses with his free hand, and smiled the most dazzling profoundly handsome smile she had ever seen him smile. Her insides were officially melted, and he wasn't even looking in her direction.

"Ready Ms. Pataki?" Arnold said, his voice seductive and enticingly devilish. Her legs almost gave out. God, he really did know how to put on the charm. He let go of her hand as he began walking first. His stride, relaxed and in control. She'd never seen that walk before...Helga blinked the thought away and rushed out of the elevator before it shut, following behind Arnold into Jeans office.

* * *

Jean was speaking on the phone with another client as she caught sight of a tall handsome man with blonde hair sleeked back and brilliantly bright blue eyes knocking on the glass door into her office. He was wearing a sharp crisp black suit with a white button down undershirt, and a plain black tie, it completely offset his hair and bright eyes. Her jaw almost dropped, but did not indulge in such foolishness behavior...even though he was gorgeous. She saw Helga standing next to him tapping her foot looking rather irritated. If anyone should be irritated it should be Jean, who the hell did Helga think she was getting upset and snappy with her? Jean pressed the button as she motioned them inside her office.

"Okay, sounds good. Thank you very much, bye." Jean said as she hung up the phone now focusing her attention on both Helga and the handsome man in her office. Jean focused her attention on Helga first her look rather stern and her lips pursed together, Jean was trying to ignore the man standing next to her because if she paid anymore attention to him she would break out into her giddy school girl mode. Which Jean was NOT fond of when it happened in the office unless she was surrounded by her close friends. Jean rose from her chair and began walking around the desk.

"Ms. Pataki, never in my entire year or longer of working with you have you ever missed work...a public appearence or anything. Not only were your fans pissed off and upset, they made me a laughing stock of the day. You could have ruined my job, and do you realize how long I've been working at this job? 15 years, Ms. Pataki...15 years..." Jean said, her voice sharp and upset. She glanced over at the handsome man and she noticed he was strangely observant of his surroundings and her. Helga looked like she had been scolded by an older parent.

"I'm sorry" Helga merely managed to say without looking Jean in her eyes. Jean couldn't stay mad at her thought, Helga was like the daughter she never got to have with her deceased husband.

"Its alright, now onto business. Hello sir, I'm Jean Ms. Pataki's publicist" Jean said offering the man her hand. He smiled a warm, and dazzling smile, and his blue eyes looked right into her, as they firmly gripped hands, his were surprisingly warm.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Arnold" He said, his voice seductive with a devilish smirk on his face. Whoa, who was this guy? Was this the same guy that Helga spoke of earlier? Jean smiled at him as well before walking back behind the desk.

"Please sit, both of you." Jean said as she sat back down in her spot.

"So, Ms. Pataki tells me your interested in applying for a job working for her, is that correct?" Jean said, looking at him now...really...looking at him. No wonder Helga was crazy about him. He had his legs crossed and his body was relaxed, not tense at all like normally when most people walk in her office for an interview.

"That's right, I'm applying to be a body guard." Arnold said matter of factly, his eyes merely focused on Jean.

"Alright, so what makes you think your qualified for the job?" Jean asked, quickly peeking over at Helga and she looked like she was ready to run. Arnold smiled an all knowing smile at her, he was confident.

"Lets just say I've had my share of handling people when they get too close and personal." Arnold said simply, still smirking at her. Helga turned paler, and paler as the interview continued. Jean knew something was going on.

"Okay, would you care to give me a time you successfully broke up a fight?" Jean asked, looking between him and Helga. All the blood was now lost from Helga's face. Arnold still remained calm considering the question.

"Well, when I traveled to Brazil I lived there for about a year or so-" Jean quickly peeked over to Helga, and she looked like she had seen a ghost. Jean refocused her attention back to him.

"Me and a few friends were out drinking one night, and while I was still sober, my two friends began fighting and I successfully broke up the fighting between each other." Arnold said still calm and collected. He was good.

"Okay, and was there ever a time when you've used excessive force?" Jean asked, realizing she was getting somewhere, because Helga's eye started twitching. Arnold still calm, proceeded to answer the question.

"Excessive force? No. However I have used little force when it was necessary." Arnold said matter of factly. Jean could see that Helga was gripping the chair so tightly her knuckles had went white.

"Describe little force?" Jean said, looking back at him. Helga shot up from her seat looking embarrassed before speaking...

"I...I...just remembered that I left my change of clothes downstairs in the limo! Be right back!" Helga said chuckling nervously as she quickly paced and beamed outside the room.

"Now that's much better." Jean said, smiling looking at him.

"Much" Arnold replied to her. He knew this was a chess game of words, and he was determined to win. No matter the cost.

"So where were we? Ah, yes...describe what you mean by little force?" Jean said, now really looking at him. This was a game of chess with there words, and at this point judging by the way Helga suddenly stormed out, something was up and whether Jean admitted it or not...she did care for Helga. Nothing was going to stand in her way of making sure he was everything Helga says he is.

"A little force meaning I have had to restrain someone until the police were called over." Arnold said, knowing he was going to win this game.

"I see, and tell me honestly...why you want this job." Jean said, smirking almost evilly at him. Arnold froze for a moment and his body tensed, and his gaze cast down for a second. What happened to the overly confident man she was talking to? Arnold breathed a heavy sigh.

"Jean, if I may..." Arnold said, looking up at her his face almost innocent and filled with a look she had not seen in years. Jean was taken aback for a moment and it made her think of her dead husband.

"I have known Helga, or Ms. Pataki all of my life...we got separated some bad things happened to both of us, and I need this job because I made a promise to her that I would protect her. No matter what the cost." Arnold said, looking into her his eyes fierce and said all. Jean smiled at him warmly.

"You do love her don't you?" Jean said to him, finally acknowledging defeat in her response.

"I do, and I know you care for her too as well." Arnold said to her as they both exchanged looks that both of them understood, it spoke only of care and love for this one short blonde haired girl named Helga. Arnold curiosity was now piqued by how they met.

"So how did you meet Helga?" Arnold asked, seeming more relaxed and with a hint of curiosity in his voice. Jean smiled at him.

"I met her when she was trying to sell her book she spent several months writing about, and set up a pitiful stand in upper east side, and when I met her she looked awful. Her hair was dirty, parts of her dress was torn, and she just looked down right pitiful. But when she smiled at me and said

"_Hey, would you wanna buy my book? I know your probably busy but just read it, promise it'll have you in tears within the first couple of chapters! I'll only charge you $3 for it, I'm sure you use that everyday to park your car when you get to work._"

I just scoffed at her, and bought the damned book, but what got me was she was right...it was in upper east side new york so everyone around there had money. But it was like she saw right through me and I realized she was special. So I bought the book, read it and she was right...next thing I knew I was doing anything I could to find her."

Arnold smiled warmly at her, because he knew she was really the only person at a crucial time in her life that was even remotely there for Helga. Somewhat of a maternal model to her, and why shouldn't she be, she was shrewd, mean, and probably liked to keep things in control when she was at work but Arnold could tell she loves feverishly.

"Your hired kid. Your pay will be 7+ million for the entire year, I'll draw up the papers and have you agree to sign them later tonight" Jean said to him still smiling. He rose from his chair, slowly and remaining confident, shook Jeans hand and smiled warmly at her, as she did the same. Arnold proceeded to walk calmly out of the office.

"And Arnold?" Jean said, her voice forcing him to stop mid stride.

"Hurt Helga, and I kill you." Jean said simply. Arnold did not turn around, as the evil malicious sadistic smile returned to his lips.

"I doubt that, Ms. Jean. But warning has been heeded." Arnold said, now walking confidently out of the office his lips still holding the same twisted and evilly sadistic smile as a shadow seemed to somehow be cast over half of his face.

* * *

Helga sat waiting outside, tapping her foot nervously. Her eyes were cast down as she was trying to focus in on her thoughts. What the hell was Jean thinking asking him questions like that? Helga just thought she was going to ask him questions like "do you have enough experience? name some references" and stuff like that, not how she was asking him. It was probing, and Helga didn't like it. Sure it made her smile a bit, because Jean was older and did take Helga in her home...but that was a minor detail she just didn't feel like talking about. So, she guessed in a way...she was like the mother she never had.

Helga finally looked up and scanned the room for Arnold, and when there eyes locked for a minute she saw that look on his face...that evil sadistic smile with a dark shadow overcast and it made her loose the blood in her face, it sent a chill down her spine, and her heart fell out of her rear end. The longer they stared at each other his face then began to soften and he smiled warmly at her as he began walking towards her. Helga studied how he walked towards her for a split second...his stride was relaxed, strong, and masculine and...very in control, he didn't move awkward at all, its like he knew how to move his body...oh no, Helga felt her face flush the closer he walked over to her and her mind began to race at the thoughts of last night. Arnold now finally making it over to her, smiled cunningly and rather deviously.

"What are you thinking about Ms. Pataki?" His bright blue eyes gleaming under the strobe light, and his eyes spoke of playfulness. Helgas stomach was in knots, and she turned away from him, and spoke not looking at him. He was just too damn gorgeous, and it made her wonder if all this was really happening.

"So, whats the verdict?" Helga spoke, her face still flushed. Arnold chuckled softly under his breath, and it was like music to her ears...it was rather boyish for him and it made her smile.

"Try 7+ million for the job." Arnold said, now speaking confidently, and smiled at Helga. Helga glanced back at him, and her jaw practically dropped to the ground. She was ecstatic, and shocked at the same time. Since Arnold was so damn tall, he lowered herself to her level so he would be eye to eye with her, smiling happily at her.

"Helga." He said merely, now awaiting her to look at him. Great, now he was at her level so she couldn't escape from him gaze. She turned to look at him, his face mere inches from hers. Her heart began to race, and she had massive butterflies in her stomach, and her mouth went dry, and her knees almost went weak. Arnold's face now turned serious, but loving and gentle at the same time

"I love you, I really want you to know this. I can see the doubt on your face at certain times, and I know you probably think this is a dream for you. Its not, its real and I want nothing else in this world than to be with you. No matter what that takes, I will love you forever and make you the happiest woman on the entire planet. Okay? Will you trust me to love you...Helga? Ms. Pataki?" Arnold said, smiling warmly at her and his eyes had the loving look but the gleam from the light almost made it look like he was going to cry, but he wasn't gritting his teeth like he would if he were to cry. He was serious, and he meant it.

Helga almost wanted to cry, her whole life...she had waited for him...no other man...but him. It was almost too much to handle, and how was he able to read her thoughts like that? He rose from her level, still staring at her and smiling. Helga felt like the world around her had completely disappeared and it felt like just her and him. He cupped her face, and began caressing her cheeks. Helga's body was on fire, as his touch seared her skin.

"Arnold" Helga said, still looking into him, she almost wanted to laugh to keep herself from crying, or having her loose her balance...she just wasn't sure which one.

"I've loved you my whole life, and you never even knew it. I spent my entire life trying to hide it from you...and yet here you are, standing in front of me...and its hard for me to...but, no matter what happens. I have faith in you, and us as a couple. I don't care if you don't want to get married to me or anything, just being with you is enough. I will do whatever it takes for your wounds to heal, I will talk about our memories of home, I'll talk about your family, and you will smile again, and just be...happy. That's all I ever wanted for you, even after we seperated...just, happiness." Helga said, looking away from him and grasped her chest, her heart felt like it was going to explode. She looked back at him, and for the first time since they have been together...He looked like the little Arnold from her childhood girlish days from fourth grade, and it made her really happy. He did not cry, but his eyes said it all. What she would kill to know what he was thinking right now. Arnold took Helga's lips, and they kissed, it felt warm, and full of overwhelming love. It made Helga explode on the inside.

"Ms. Pataki." Jean said standing a few feet from them tapping her foot, looking rather irritated. Arnold broke his kiss with her, and they tapped there foreheads together gently as they exchanged a look of happiness for the both of them. This was real, this was true...and it finally happened, and at this point...Helga didn't care what happened to them, as long as they were together...she believed they could face anything.

Helga broke from him, and ran towards to Jean's office as Arnold strode outside the office and found a patio nearby Helga so he could keep an eye on her. He stepped outside on the patio realizing this was the smoking section for the rest of Jean's employee's. He took out a cigarette and lit it, leaning against the wall and simply watched Helga through the window into Jean's office, his stance looked relaxed, cold and methodical, as he was smoking his cigarette in the shadows, but he became lost in his thoughts of Helga.

* * *

"Helga, I'm so damn jealous He is soooooo gorgeous!" Jean almost squealed to her. Helga simply giggled, because she knew Jean only got this way when she was with people she trusted and loved. Sure it seemed uncharacteristic of her, however quite the contrary when Helga and Jean would go out kind of like mother daughter times she was so much fun to be around. Helga blushed at the thought of him.

"Helga, did you guys have sex yet? I mean he looks like he would be a God in bed" Jean said, smiling too widely and her face now curious. Helga looked away and her face flushed. Jeans eyes almost popped out of her head.

"You did not! That's why you weren't answering your phone! You should've said something! Sooooo how was it?" Jean asked inquiring and almost too excited. Helga's smile began to widen.

"Wait before you tell me" Jean said, picking up the phone and began talking to her assistant.

"Nancy, can you cancel all the appointments Ms. Pataki and I have for the day. Thank you." Jean said sternly, and hung up the phone not awaiting for her assistants response. Helga shook her head, knowing where this was going.

"Were going out, I want details of everything. Besides, before I turn you over to Mr. Perfect I want to spend some time with you, and then we can get back to work tomorrow okay?" Jean said, now grabbing her expensive black Dooney & Burke handbag packing her things as she began walking out the office.

As they were walking out of the office, Helga glanced at him and jerked her head as if to say to him silently "_Were leaving._" He followed swiftly behind her, without saying a word and was right behind her within seconds. Jean turned to speak to Helga, but jumped at the sight of Arnold.

"When the hell did you come back over?" Jean said exclaiming out loud. Arnold merely smiled at her, saying nothing.

"See, I told you he's qualified." Helga said, smiling lightheartedly. Helga knew he was focused on doing his job, judging from his face...he was on alert, and if he was going to do a successful job she needed to have her silent ques like the one they just exchanged.

"You damn right he is, I didn't even hear his footsteps" Jean said not really reading too much into it.

"So I take it your coming with us?" Jean said to Arnold as they proceeded to walk to the elevator. Arnold looked at her, and merely nodded his head once still saying nothing. Helga had never seen him this quiet, and she didn't know how to feel about it. Perhaps he knew he was going to get this way when he starts his job which is why he kissed her earlier. If that was the case, it makes sense. They got into the elevator, Arnold swiftly stepping right behind Helga, still saying nothing merely focused and his actions precise and swift. This was strange, it was like she didn't even hear his footsteps on the elevator floor, how did he do that? Probably some other type of training he had.

"Can we talk about him while he's right there?" Jean whispered to Helga, and Helga giggled at her in response.

"He's my body guard right now, and not my boyfriend so I think its safe to say we can" Helga said, now realizing she just called him her boyfriend. It made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Suddenly the lights in the elevator began to flicker on and off, and the Elevator started to rock up and down, and it soon came to a stop on the floor level five. Jean started to panic and Helga fell to the floor as she put herself in a fetal position. Jean looked at Arnold and all she saw in the darkness were his blue eyes only this time, they looked evil. At first she didn't see it, but now she did and it sent a chill down her spine.

"Is everyone okay?" Arnold said, his voice deep rumbling and cutting through the darkness. Helga made a wincing noise, as she stayed to the ground of the elevator floor. Jean merely nodded, she got the feeling he could see in this darkness.

"I don't sense any danger, and no ones coming. I'll see if I can restart the elevator, stay calm, and wait here." Arnold said as he swiftly broke the door to the top of the elevator and just like that was gone. Jean couldn't believe how fast he seemed to move, it was almost in human.

"Helga, whats going on?" Jean asked her, but Helga was unable to move.

As soon as Jean asked the question, the elevator lights came back on and they were moving and it took Jean a minute to regain her balance. Arnold didn't climb back inside the elevator, he dropped inside the elevator landing on his feet, quickly shutting the door to the ceiling making it look like it hadn't even been opened in the first place. He then picked Helga up swiftly off the ground cradling her and held her close to him.

"Helga, breathe. I'm here." Arnold said, gently kissing her forehead, and her cheeks. Helga then inhaled a big breath, and clutched onto him and she began shaking. That darkness reminded her when those men raped her and she was caught in the memory and was unable to breathe or move. He began to rub her back, still kissing her lovingly. Jean couldn't take her eyes off of them.

"Nothing will ever hurt you. Helga be strong my love. Can you stand?" Arnold said still cradling her as she was shaking against his body. She nodded her head slowly in response. He kissed her forehead once more before placing her down, and he fell back behind her resuming his original stance, the overcast of a shadow on his face and his blue eyes cutting through the shadow casted on his face. Helga regained her balance, and gathered herself before speaking to Jean.

"Are you okay?" Helga said to her, now seeming perfectly fine. Jean was shocked at what she had just witnessed. The elevator door finally opened, and Jean exchanged a look that said "**_We are so going to talk about what the hell just happened._**" look. Helga smiled sheepishly as they walked out the building to the entrance.

**-End Of Chapter 10**


	11. Chapter 11: Look Closer, My Love

**Chapter 11: Look Closer, My Love**

They arrived at some expensive resteraunt and paparazzi had take some shots of her and Jean. Jean explained to media that they were having a business meeting.

Arnold was no where to be found, but Helga knew he was lurking somewhere from afar at a good distance. She knew him well enough that he didn't like being around all those lights because it breaks his focus. Its funny, how she knows so much about him and yet so little at the same time. Helga was embarrassed to explain what happened in the elevator but it just seemed like Arnold knew, but that was because he probably couldn't hear her heartbeat beating. Had Arnold came back as swift as he did and fixed the problem, she would have gotten lost in the memory because she couldn't move or breathe when it happened. She hated being this weak now, but she did love that Arnold was always somewhere nearby even if she couldn't see him. She could learn to appreciate this, but she needed to revert back to her old self if she was going to stay with him.

They walked into the resteraunt and sat down at the table.

Helga looked for Arnold and saw blue eyes cutting through the darkness in one corner of the resteraunt, and it was really strange...it was like no one saw him at all. She was barely able to make out his body at all. Creepy, and really overqualified for the job.

Jean had already ordered there drinks and food for the both of them and Jean gave her a look that said "Okay, I'm waiting." look.

Helga squirmed a bit in her seat. She then breathed a heavy sigh.

"What do you want to know?" Helga asked her, seeming honest, but kept peering over to Arnold's eyes in the corner of the resteraunt. Jean didn't even care what happened to him, she only seemed interested in talking about what happened back in the elevator.

"What the hell happened back there? Helga, I have never seen a man move that quick before in my life...not even an olympic runner was as quick and swift as he was in that damn elevator. Might I add, he **JUMPED** into the elevator, not climb down. I'm sorry, but thats really freaky and strange to me and I want an answer, a good one." Jean said now sounding demanding, her gaze looking through Helga.

Helga glanced over to Arnold, and his eyes that cut through the darkness was looking **DIRECTLY** at her. It sent a chill up her spine, and she shivered from his intense gaze, because the look said "**Do. Not. Tell. Her.**"

Helga looked away from him, and gulped now feeling nervous and under pressure.

"Okay, he was trained in the military. That's all I can say..." Helga successfully lied for him, and even though she wasn't looking at him somehow she could tell he was smiling because the atmosphere lifted a bit.

Jean let out a held in sigh of relief, now returning to her normal self.

"Well, that's a relief!" Jean spoke relieved he wasn't some psychopath. The waiter had brought there drinks over and Jean leaned into the table now wanting to continue there discussion from the office.

"Soooo what's he like in bed? I'm dying to know!" Jean said after taking a sip of her drink, her eyes focused on Helga waiting for her to spill the juicy bits. Helga flushed at the question, and was almost unable to answer it.

"He's a real God in bed, I mean honestly!" Helga replied, not looking at Jean and still blushing furiously.

"Well a good looking man like that, who trained under extensive conditions in the military had to know how he would move otherwise he was dead." Jean commented on drinking her drink, she was relaxed now and this was good.

Helga began drinking hers as well, and began to relax a bit more completely forgetting that Arnold was somewhere in the room.

"Details, now!" Jean commanded, her anticipation was almost unbearable. Helga breathed a heavy sigh.

"Okay" Helga replied to her thinking back on the memory.

* * *

_**Back to that night...**_

_His movements were slow, and precise as he usually was in everything he does. He kissed her passionately, both there tongues fighting for dominance. Helga moaned in response, feeling the fire in her lower abdomen being set ablaze by his kiss. _

_He began his fiery trail of kissed from her neck, to her collar bone, to her breast. Helga knew he was teasing her, and it drove her insane. He finally placed his mouth on her nipple and began sucking gently, swirling his tongue around it, and Helga now moaning in response, sending the first wave of pleasure down her spine. _

_He took his hands, and trailed the sides of her body outlining her curves as he kept sucking her breast intently knowing it was driving her crazy. She pulled his hair and he let out a low husky growl release from his throat his eyes now bright cutting through the darkness..._

* * *

"Wow, he sounds like he really knows what he was doing..." Jean said, now smacking down her food. Helga could not stop blushing.

"Sooo what about the actual good stuff? Tell me." Jean said, insisting seeming really happy now. Helga looked at her, eyes popping out of her head.

"That wasn't enough for you?" Helga said reluctantly. Jean shook her head no in response. Helga let out a scoff and thought back again...

* * *

_**Back To That Night...**_

_"I love you Helga" He said, his body pressed against hers, both of them now completely naked. His penis now pressing against Helga's entrance. He caressed her face and looked into her, allowing the softer side of him to show in his expression. Helga allowed a tear to fall from one eye as she grabbed his face before she spoke._

_"I love you too" Helga said, now pulling his face in for a kiss._

_There kiss deepened in seconds and he bucked against her, searching for her entrance. He bit her neck, and Helga moaned in response. _

_Now finding her entrance, he inserted himself inside her surprisingly gentle, and Helga cried out in pleasure at his entrance. _

_Arnold let out a husky growl, now moving from her neck to her lower ear lobe. Helga scratched his back and Arnold groaned in response to it, as he took his hands and grabbed Helgas bottom and lifted her now slamming her into the back of the bedpost. His strokes were slow and gentle, and Helga could feel all him inside of her, and she held onto him so she wouldn't fall._

_"You taste delicious, Ms. Pataki" He huskily growled in her voice licking her neck, as his strokes grew more urgent and needy. Helga pulled his hair, so she could look at him and bit his neck back. His grip on Helga's bottom grew tighter, almost nearing his release, growling back at her._

* * *

"Holy shit! He was able to lift you like that!" Jean said almost looking like she couldn't believe everything Helga was telling her. Helga's face is now beet red.

She scanned back at the eyes in the corner of the resteraunt. She still couldn't see his body because it was hidden very well in the shadow, but his eyes told her he was listening to there conversation. His eyes were filled with lust, not the loving kind she saw last night...but the purely carnal one. It made her insides like jello...yet again.

"I'm seriously jealous..." Jean said, now finishing her food.

"I really do love him though. I just wish he would talk more about home..." Helga said her eyes trailing away from Jeans.

"Do I want to know?" Jean replied sitting back in her chair awaiting for the waiter so she could order dessert.

"He's just been through a lot is all." Helga merely said.

"Define alot?" Jean said, her interest piqued.

"How would you feel if you lost your mom?" Helga said still answering her question but averting away from giving her a straight answer.

"I see" Jean replied simply, now understanding a bit more.

* * *

They finished there meal, and since Helga had a day off today she decided to head on home for the day. Arnold said nothing to her all day, and it made her heart sink a bit. Jean let her off the hook for now, somehow knowing it was because she wanted to be with him...and not when he was in body guard mode.

When they finally arrived home, Arnold's things were already moved over into Helga's room, as well as had the contract waiting for him to sign sitting on Helga's bed. Arnold began moving swiftly through the entire house making sure there wasn't anyone else in the house.

Helga was exhausted, and still bothered he hadn't uttered a word except for when they were in the elevator.

After Arnold had finished surveying the house he walked into Helga's room and she was undressing. He took his suit jacket off, and placed it by the bed, and he sat on the bed, watched her move as she was undressing, now she was completely naked at this point.

Her long blonde straight hair was cascading over her shoulders, and her brown eyes lit up, her skin looked so soft.

However now having taken a closer look, she had many bruises and cuts...some of them looked like they had been stitched.

Arnold grimaced at the sight of it, not because he was disgusted. He was infuriated, and felt the urge to kill something, or preferably Bob Pataki. As images flooded his mind of Bob Pataki cutting his own daughter with a knife.

He clutched his suit pants to the point where his knuckles turned white and it took everything inside him to not disappear into the night and handle some business.

Helga stopped what she was doing, now realizing Arnold was staring at her, but his brow was furrowed. Then she looked down at herself, and noticed the huge scar on her left ribcage, and all her other bruises. She smiled sheepishly before she spoke.

"I know its gross right" Helga said trying to make light of it. Arnold tensed at what she just said, and merely shot her a serious look, like he could have killed her. Helga winced under his gaze.

"Helga, its not that." Arnold spoke, his gaze now cast away from hers, looking towards the floor.

"Who did that to you?" Arnold asked, his gaze now back at Helga, his head not completely turned in her direction, just his eyes.

Helga did not wish to look at him, because she knew he wasn't going to like her answer, so she turned from him before speaking again.

"Bob" Helga said simply, no emotion in her voice at all. She heard Arnold breathe a sigh as if to calm himself.

"I need a smoke." Arnold spoke simply, grabbing the contract that lay on the bed, now raising himself from the bed and walking outside towards the patio right next to her bed.

Helga didn't stop him, but somehow she was afraid he was disgusted with her.

Arnold stopped himself mid stride as he turned his head slightly to her direction his back still facing her.

"Don't think that." Arnold said simply, his posture seeming tense.

Helga blinked not understanding him, was he able to read her thoughts too?

Arnold turned towards her his face soft, but his eyes were completely enraged.

"Helga, I think your beautiful...remember I love you. I meant it when I said it, and I'll keep saying it until you believe it. If your wondering how I can sense your thoughts, one: your very easy to read and two: your eyes said everything to me without you speaking a word." Arnold said, now his gaze a bit more relaxed.

How did he always do that? It was so unfair.

"How can you read people so well?" Helga asked naturally, but then regretted asking the minute it slipped out.

He smiled warmly at her before speaking.

"Lets just say, if I didn't learn to read people I wouldn't be alive." Arnold said simply, as he proceeded to walk out to the patio shutting the door softly behind him.

Helga decided to put some clothes on, and go join him. She knew he needed to be alone, but she wanted to talk with him. She hadn't talked to him all day, and a part of her is dying to know what he thinks, how he thinks, what does he even think about? But the other side of her still didn't wish to know.

She wore a pink satin night gown and threw on another soft fuzzy robe before stepping outside.

* * *

The sun is now setting onto the horizon and she could see all of New York from her apartment patio.

This was her favorite place when she was alone, and somehow she got the feeling this would be his favorite place too. He was right on one thing...they were more alike than either of them let on, which is why they were so connected to where they didn't even need to say much. Well at least for Arnold, not for her...its gonna take her some time and it was really frustrating.

Once she stepped out now realizing that it was getting cold outside, and she stood there for a few moments gazing at him. He was still wearing his suit she got for him earlier that day, but his hair was a bit more messier and his back just looked...very masculine, considering his muscles were filling out the shirt.

He seemed to relax as soon as she stepped out, and she saw the puff of smoke release into the open air. The sunset was beautiful, and she smiled walking over to Arnold, and decided to lean with him against the patio bar. She turned to look at his face, and it seemed emotionless, it wasn't cold, it wasn't warm, it wasn't anything.

Wow, he was really good at being unreadable. She was a little intimidated to want to touch him and he was right about one thing...she was still having a hard time admitting to herself this is really happening.

"I'm your boyfriend Helga, you don't need to be afraid of me. I don't bite unless you ask me to." Arnold spoke not looking at her, as he inhaled his cigarette and exhaled the smoke, his focus on the sunset.

Helga's heart skipped a beat when he said he was her boyfriend. But decided to shove the thought, and say what was on her mind.

"That's not fair ya know" Helga said pursing her lips together.

He smiled finally, and it made her heart warm.

"That I'm completely unreadable...I'm sorry, I've been alone for all these years...its hard for me to...put my guard down. The only friends I had were my comrades, and my weapons. But I know how I scare you, and I don't want you to be afraid of me. I love you, and your the first person I've trusted...ever." Arnold merely said, smoking the remainder of his cigarette.

This was the most he spoke the whole day, and she wasn't going to ruin it by asking questions but he was right...she was somewhat terrified of him.

"What is it about me that terrifies you stiff?" Arnold asked, his voice sounding sad and curious.

"I'm afraid you'll turn on me, and leave me...or end up being like...well, you know." Helga said not wanting to say it.

Arnold tensed at what she said.

"Say it." Arnold commanded, not angrily like she expected...but really really sad.

"Bob..." Helga finally said to him.

Arnold closed his eyes, and flicked his cigarette over the patio bar letting it fall.

Helga's stomach was in knots, she almost didn't want to know his reaction.

Arnold breathed a heavy sigh before speaking.

"Helga, I've never been with one woman before. I've also never made love to a woman...like I have to you. If you want to know what hurts me the most, is knowing the woman I love and would give my life to see her smile, the woman that if I could bring every man to justice who ever hurt her...is scared of me. But I can't blame you either..." Arnold said, his voice dropping off at the last part.

Helga's eyes bulged out of her head when he said he never made love to a woman, and then her heart sank.

"Can you really though? I mean...its all I know, then you just so happen to tell me...well everything about you, its one thing to be one way all the time which normal people are might I add." Helga began to say but was cut short.

"That's a lie, there is no such thing as normal Helga." Arnold replied now allowing his cynicism to show.

"Explain what you mean by that..." Helga asked now curious not really caring where she was going with her point.

"Whats normal in the states, is a completely foreign concept to the kids in say Iraq for example. Kids there are constantly surrounded by death, war and violence. Versus here, everyone walks around with there eyes wide shut to the horrors outside there own homes. People are _basta complexa_." Arnold said still not looking her, but had a small smile on his face.

Helga now realizing his dialect just changed and it made her heart skip a beat.

"What?" Helga asked confused. Arnold maintained his smile as he turned to speak to her the sunset making his eyes look beautiful...as always.

She wasn't sure if she could handle him speaking a different language because it sounded so fluent.

"I learned many different languages including Arabic, Portuguese, and Spanish, and a few others I can't think of right now. It was so many, honestly. But I just said people are simply complex. People become complex and muddled by civilization, but even amongst all of this civilization we are constantly paying attention to our needs, what I like to call human instinct." Arnold said, now lighting another cigarette, leaning against the bar as he began to inhale.

This made Helga happy, this was the first time he was opening up to her where they had a genuine conversation. She was more than intrigued to hear him speak a foreign language to her.

"Still stunned I can speak a different language?" Arnold said smiling confidently, knowing thats what she was thinking.

"Stop that." Helga said, pursing her lips together she did playfully.

"Say something else to me!" Helga said now excited knowing he can speak another language, she was really giddy.

It made Arnold chuckle at her, his eyes now looking playful.

"Pick your language" Arnold said playfully now.

"Okay...uhm...you said Spanish right? Say something to me in Spanish." Helga said now completely excited.

Arnold then put his cigarette out, and his eyes fastened on her. His eyes were filled with lust again, and he began licking his lips as he stepped closer to her. Helga got lost in his eyes, and her legs went weak. Arnold was now standing mere inches from her, as he slowly and seductively said in her ear

"_He estado pensando en besarte y hacerte el amor todo el día Helga_" Arnold spoke breathing into her neck now. It sent shivers down her spine and made her knees weak, she was almost unable to speak.

"What...did...you-" Helga began to speak, but Arnold still in her neck spoke.

"I just said, I've been thinking about kissing you and making love to you all day Helga." Arnold said, his voice low, and husky. Oh God, she cannot handle him.

"Then why don't you do it?" Helga said confidently, and he smiled his eyes filled with lust.

"_Como usted quiera, mi señora (as you wish, milady)_" Arnold said moving his face from her neck and kissed her passionately. Helga deepened the kiss, and Arnold picked her up and she wrapped her legs around him. Arnold carried her to the room, and tossed Helga on the bed.

"You started it, not me this time Bucko" Helga said, smiling and near a giggle.

Arnold chuckled and began to kiss her feverishly, starting it all over again.

* * *

They made love again, and it was official...Helga was addicted to him, and now she wanted more.

Much more, and one side of her couldn't wait to find out more details about him...but the other side of her didn't want to know. She only hoped and prayed that they could stay together like this forever. Although she was still fighting her intuition...it was only a matter of time before some external force came to put there love to the test, or ruin it all together. Helga could feel it, and whenever she thought about it...it made her heart sink into despair. She could only hope and pray that she was wrong...

There was no doubt in his mind, he was in love with her. He was in it for all of it, the mood swings, the fights, the sex, all of it. Sure he may have enjoyed killing in the past, but she was everything to him and would do it for her without thinking a second thought. He wanted nothing more than to be with her until something bad happens. For him, bad stuff always happens...its like he's come to accept he's bad luck. He only hoped that things would play out in his favor...for once, in his life. He wouldn't know what he would do if anything were to happen to her. The most scary thing about all of this, he wanted to marry her, have kids, and be normal. Sure it may sound boring, but to him...it was heaven. It was peace and true happiness, however he gave up on it many many years ago.

Now he wanted nothing but that, but he knew himself well enough that he's still unstable and because this love for her is the most overwhelming satisfying emotion he's felt...ever. He was all the more terrified that he was going to ruin it, and if he didn't, some other external force would. He prayed that he could stay with her...forever. But he knew somewhere deep down...that it could never happen.

**-End Chapter 11**


	12. Chapter 12: Broken

Chapter 12

Roughly six months has passed by now, and Helga's career has skyrocketed. She has been in a few films, radio interviews, cover of magazines, and she recently came out with her new book "Lost Soul." Which basically discusses her fame and how it took her by storm, and her searching for herself amongst the sea of fame, but it all helped because the man she is with now is the same yellow haired boy she remembered from her childhood. It was yet another success.

Helga was always working, which meant Arnold was always working. It was only when they were home did they have something close to a relationship. Arnold had opened up to her a bit more, and Helga was less terrified of him, however when it came to her working...which meant he was, it was usually difficult whenever Helga had an acting scene that involved kissing or pretending to make love to another man. Arnold never said anything in the moment or on set, just ignore her until they spoke about it when they got home, but the more they got used to each other he eased on her and was gentle whenever he was upset about something. Helga appreciated it, and was surprised to find out a lot more about Arnold, not only did he speak different languages, he is also very intelligent and enjoys discussing subjects like History, Science, Sociology, Psychology and knowing he didn't want to admit it, she did catch him reading Old Literature novels. She also found out he loves to dance...Such as Hip Hop, Jazz, Modern, Musical Theatre, Ballet (which she thought was a bit strange, but it didn't matter to her much), Swing, and many others, on top of working out all the time. Some nights he would wake shivering in his sleep and Helga would do nothing but hold him in her chest and kiss him gently. He was becoming more vulnerable to her as there relationship progressed, and it made her truly happy. The more time she spent around Arnold, the more she reverted to her old self and it felt good to her. Strangly enough being with him, he taught her to protect herself, and dance because Helga was very uncoordinated, which she counted her many blessings that he could dance. But even amongst all of this she just didn't know if he was jealous of her, which she hoped he wasn't. But whenever she asked him, he would just smile, kiss her and tell her he loved being around her. After six months of being together, she loved being with him and was now officially addicted to him. Still something was coming, and it kept her stomach unsettled.

A few rumors have spread that Helga or Ms. Pataki is dating her body guard, which thankfully no one remembered his name for a little while. Arnold preffered to stay out of the lime light. He loved the shadows, and for Helga she was learning to appreciate it, just as Helga was learning to appreciate her old self.

Surprisingly, there sex life had been almost too much for her to handle...it was like he wanted sex all the time, but Helga didn't mind...as long as it was with him because no matter what he did...drove her absolutely crazy. However he never attacked her while they were both at work, and deep down she really wanted him to.

Helga had spent some extra time to call her close friend Phoebe and they talked for hours and hours on end completly ignoring Arnold, and depending on his mood would either go dance in Helga's studio in the lower basement or sit by the fireplace and read. Now Phoebe and Gerald were officially married by the certificate, but they still hadn't had the big wedding. They spoke of there other classmates, considering Phoebe spent time keeping up with all of them. Helga did miss all of them desperately, and the idea struck her as she was on the phone with Phoebe.

"Hey Pheebs, I completely forgot to tell you something...and your gonna like shoot me a million times when I tell ya this" Helga said sounding like her old self.

Phoebe giggled her mousy giggle.

"What is it Helga?" Pheebs asked, curious.

"So you read my book right? And you know yellow haired boy is Arnold right? Well...lets just say...uhm-" Helga almost mustered up the courage to say but stopped herself.

"Out with it Pataki!" Pheebs commanded.

Helga breathed a heavy sigh.

"Lets just say under a really STRANGE set of events, me and Arnold are now dating..." Helga said sounding sheepish.

Silence.

"OH MY GOD HELGA! THATS WONDERFUL! I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU! Still a bit mad! BUT HELGA! THIS IS GREAT!" Pheebs said screaming over the phone.

Helga could hear her jumping around in the background.

"Whats all the ruckus?" Helga heard Gerald say in the background. Phoebe stopped jumping.

"Hey Tall Hair Boy, hows it going?" Helga spoke a smile on her face.

"Well I'll be damned, if it isn't the famous Helga G. Pataki. Whats shaking, I haven't heard from you since you moved away, next thing I know I'm seeing your ass on tv!" Gerald says over the phone, now having taken it from Phoebe.

Helga laughed at Gereld.

"Yeah well, thats what always working does...I guess." Helga replied to him sounding very much like her old self.

"Gereld?" Helga heard a voice on the phone, and it wasn't Pheebs.

"Arnold?" Gerald said over the phone, sounding almost shocked.

Silence for a few moments.

"How you been man?" Arnold asked first, sounding very genuine.

"Its been years and now you decide to ask me how I'm doing?" Gerald said over the phone now sounding pissed.

"Yeah, I've been busy." Arnold said, not giving him too much information.

"Really? After you suddenly left everything and sold your grandparents home? I was worried about you man" Gerald said emotionless.

Helga had lost all the blood on her face, what was going on?

"I'm sorry man, look I know what I did was stupid. But I had to, at least I thought I did at the time." Arnold replied admittly to him.

"What you mean?" Gerald asked now taken aback by his comment.

"Nothing, it was good talking to you." Arnold said quickly and detatched as Helga heard the click of the phone.

"Gerald you still there?" Helga said sounding like a mouse now.

"Yeah...Wait! Why is Arnold over your house?" Gereld asked exclaiming over the phone.

"Its a long story, and one I can't share with you unfortunately." Helga replied now sounding sad.

Helga swore to him she would never tell a soul, not even Pheebs.

"You can't tell me what happened to my best friend? I spent weeks looking for his ass and now you can't even tell me what the fuck you know about what happend to him? After me and my parents were worried about him? Nah, you know what, thas cool. Don't even worry about it." Gerald yelled now sounding like an angry black man.

This made Helgas heart sink even further. She heard Gereld shove the phone back at Pheebs.

"Helga, what just happened?" Pheebs asked, sounding scared now.

"I have no idea, Pheebs...I really don't" Helga lied, even though she knew exactly what happened.

"I've never seen him this mad." Pheebs admitted, sounding like she was holding her breath over the phone.

"Its okay Pheebs, breathe." Helga told her to do, and Pheebs did.

"Call me later, I gotta talk to my husband." Pheebs said, sounding firm.

"Ditto, well...something like that." Helga said as they both said there good byes.

Arnold and Helga spoke about it briefly, as they both prepared to head to sleep. Helga had a photo shoot in the morning.

* * *

Arnold had begun noticing that Helga would sneak out of the bed and followed her each time and she stopped herself mid stride, and lie to his face. He was suspicious and it made him uneasy lately. One of these nights he was going to catch what she was doing. Tonight he intended to.

They had laid in bed together, he pretended to be sleep and a few hours later he felt Helga slip from under him and tip toe out of the bedroom. His eyes shot open staring at the ceiling as he began counting her heart beat and listening to the sound of her footsteps, God she was loud at least to him she was.

The further away she got, the more worried he became. He decided to wait until he could no longer hear her for a couple more minutes. He then rose from the bed, and began walking still not making a sound considering he knew where everything was...including every part of the carpet that made noise he avoided and remembered. Arnold followed her downstairs to the third floor basement, as she snuck past all of her crew member sleeping soundly. Arnold followed behind her in the darkness swiftly, and quietly. Arnold hid behind the wall because he knew she was going to turn around, and she did. He looked to see she had opened another door leading to another seperate area downstairs, he heard her footsteps going downstairs.

Now he knew he was getting rusty, this was not good. He stayed where he was to see if he could hear her downstairs which he was.

He heard her rustle through things, like a bag and he heard the sound of paper rustling as well. He heard a metal tap, and a loud static noise, she had turned something on. She seemed to be adjusting the volume on something, and her heard her voice projected through what sounded like a mike.

He stood patiently waiting before making a move. He then heard a simple piano tune begin to play on the speakers, and her voice projected through the mike. She was singing...

"_Notice me _

_Take my hand _

_Why are we Strangers when _

_Our love was strong _

_Why carry on without me_"

Her voice was beautiful, and angelic, and very sad. Arnold then relaxed himself, as he opened the door and stood in the door way staring at her, and she had her eyes closed lost in her own words, He breathed in quietly as he closed his eyes and just listened to her.

_"Everytime I try to fly I fall _

_Without my wings I feel so small _

_I guess I need you baby _

_And everytime I see _

_Your in my dreams I see your face _

_Its haunting me I guess I need you baby"_

_"I make-believe _

_That you are here _

_Its the only way _

_That I see clear _

_What have I done?_

_You seem to move on easy"_

_"Everytime I try to fly I fall _

_Without my wings I feel so small _

_I guess I need you baby _

_And everytime I see _

_Your in my dreams I see your face _

_Your haunting me _

_I guess I need you baby"_

_"I may have made it rain _

_Please forgive me _

_My weakness caused you pain _

_And this song's my sorry"_

**(Helga breathed in a shaky breath as the tune continued her eyes still closed.)**

_"At night I pray_

**(Helga's eyes shot open staring into the glass, now they were filled with massive tears streaming down her face and she resumed singing. Looking pained.)**

_That soon your face will fade away"_

_"Everytime I try to fly I fall _

_Without my wings I feel so small _

_I guess I need you baby _

_And everytime I see _

_You ruin my dreams _

_I see your face_

_ Your haunting me _

_I guess I need you baby"_

The piano tune still playing on the speakers until it faded out, and Helga relaxed herself by breathing in a long sigh, and wiped her tears away before finally looking around.

"You sing beautifully my love" Arnold said his voice deep and soothing. His eyes still closed and enveloped in her song and how she sang it. Arnold was leaning himself back against the entrance way wall, his blonde hair messy and unruly, seeming really relaxed.

Helga's eyes bulged out of her head, and she almost wanted to yell at him. But then remembered what he had just said, she casted her eyes away from him.

"Thanks." Helga sheepishly admitted.

"When did you write it?" Arnold asked, his eyes now open and he turned himself to her, his posture relaxed. He was wearing nothing but sweat pants that hung from his hips on one side.

Helga looked directly at him before speaking, she sighed again.

"I wrote it whenever I had time, considering I've been having nightmares...from time to time...about, you know what." Helga admitted.

"Here I was thinking I was the only one fucked up in this relationship, having bad dreams of all the people I've ever killed in my life and you were always there for me. Helga, love...how do you expect me to be here to support you if you don't trust me with things like this? Why have you been hiding you can sing?" Arnold asked now walking past all the speakers in the recording studio and sat down as motioned her to sit on the speakers with him.

Helga could do nothing but smile back at him and sit down next to him. Arnold picked Helga up and sat her on his lap, simply resting his head in between her neck and Arnold wrapped his arms around Helga's waist. Helga giggled now sitting in Arnolds lap. They sat in each others company both lost in there own thoughts for a moment or so.

"_Voc ainda n o respondeu minha pergunta senhorita Pataki_ (You still didn't answer my question Miss Pataki)" Arnold said in Portuguese, merely nuzzling himself in between her neck. He was completely absorbed in the way she smelled, but regained focus as he just lay there now shifting to her shoulder.

"Arnoldo, a translation would be nice ya know?" Helga said sounding like herself finally.

Arnold breathed a smile as he gripped her a little tighter so she wouldn't fall off of his lap.

"I said, you still didn't answer my question Ms. Pataki" His voice deep and soothing and filled with genuine love and interest.

"Okay, well the answer to your question is because I would try to sing in my house when I was living with Bob and Miriam, and needless to say...thats how I got that huge scar on my rib that you know of. He said I was being too loud, so ever since then I've kept it a secret." Helga said, her voice dropping although she didn't seem to tear up at the memory.

Arnold realized he was holding Helga and didn't want to grip her tighter, otherwise he would break her in half. So he kissed her gently around the temples of her forehead, and her cheeks.

"I think, the world should hear what you have to say. You sing beautifully Helga." Arnold replied to her.

"Its hard...I don't know how to burden you with these things about me...its like, even though we had spent all that time growing apart from each other...I only know how to open up when I'm alone. The only thing thats still the same about you, is that you at least trusted me and told me everything. I almost choked on my own tears and was willing to go to the grave before you found out about my secret with you all those years, and about my family. I did this on a whim, and now here I am famous which I never expected any of this to happen. I thought I was going to die before ever seeing you again. I feel so guilty knowing I can't share this stuff with you about me...and it hurts and I'm sor-" Helga said, but Arnold had kissed her. His lips were warm and soft.

"Don't apologize Helga, I don't know what it was like being you. I don't know what its like to have parents that don't give two sacks of shits about you, because mine passed away and I went insane. I know its going to take you time, and trust me...everything about me didn't come as easy as you think it did. I remember having a conversation with myself about it...thinking I may have regretted my decision because I realized I was putting you in danger for my selfish wishes. So its okay, take as much time as you need Helga, I'll be right here...So long as I am with you and I lurk in the shadows, nothing will ever harm you so long as I'm alive. Okay?" Arnold said as he was caressing her face looking into her eyes smiling warmly and lovingly.

"_Te odio_ **(I hate you)**" Helga responded to him in spanish.

Arnold smiled, knowing that she hated him for always saying the right things to her.

"_Te amo demasiado Helga_ **(I love you too Helga)**" Arnold responded, pulling her into his chest for a heartfelt hug. He kissed the top of her forehead and held her for a few more moments as he rested his head on top of hers.

Arnold lifted her with his left arm, and carried her like if she were a child as he used his other arm to shut off everything in the studio. Then he carried her bridal style up the steps, and they both went to bed.

* * *

Helga's photoshoot had finished early, thankfully she had delivered, which the staff for Style magazine loved her.

Arnold insisted that they drive to Jeans office as soon as they done.

Since they have been together for six months Arnold never insisted on going anywhere, she always took control of everything...what could he possibly be planning?

They pulled the limo up, and Arnold said nothing to Helga as he got out first, barely even seeing him walk out the car and if he did...she didn't hear his footsteps at all.

Arnold jerked his head at her as if to say "**_follow me, now._**" and Helga faithfully followed behind him.

"Why are we going to Jeans office?" Helga asked him, and he said nothing to her in response.

Whenever he's working he becomes her body guard and not her boyfriend, because he always says...nothing. Its not like you have to not talk in order to be a good body guard. She was going to ask him about that later.

Arnold then swiftly began walking into Jeans office, not knocking at all. Jean jumped at him now realizing he was standing in her office.

"What?" Jean snapped at him.

Arnold merely looked at her before speaking.

"Ms. Pataki can sing and I want you to listen to her." Arnold replied keeping it short sweet and to the point. His stance was always relaxed but still rigid, and ready for anything at any moment.

"Wha-No, he's just-" Helga began to say so she could shy herself out of it.

Arnold shot her a look that said "stop lying."

Helga gave up at his gaze.

"Yeah, I can sing." Helga admitted.

Arnold then pulled out a small Ipod with mini speakers that held all the background music she made for her songs. He finally stepped into the corner of Jeans office and leaned against the wall not saying anything once more, merely focused on Helga waiting for her to press play.

Helga was shocked, when did he get that? Where did he get that? Curse her for ever leaving things out in the open for him to find!

Arnold smiled cunningly, knowing she had no choice.

"Alright, well grace me with your voice so I can move on with my life" Jean said nonchalantely.

Arnold looked over at Helga, and knew it was going to set her off. It was only a couple things that set her off, this was one of them.

"Fine." Helga said her words coming out seethingly. She stepped back, warming up her vocals before she decided to press the play button. Sure Helga knew all her songs by heart because she sang them multiple times, but she had no idea which one it was left on.

It wasn't the piano one she sang from last night...it was the song she wrote called Fighter. Oh shit. Helga thought to herself, and she looked over at Arnold quickly, his face cast by the dark shadow, his eyes were soft almost as if telling her "_**Its only you, and me right now, sing baby.**_" without uttering a word at all. That was all the courage she needed. Helga stood tall, poised and began.

_"How could this man I thought I knew _

_Turn out to be unjust so cruel _

_Could only see the good in you _

_Pretended not to know the truth _

_You tried to hide your lies, disguise yourself _

_Through living in denial _

_But in the end you'll see _

_You won't stop me_

_I am a fighter and I I ain't goin' stop _

_There is no turning back I've had **enough!**"_

**(When Helga got to the "enough" part, she sang her heart to the top of her lung capicity and it was in harmony with the tune, it was with feeling, and more importantly...it had soul to it. Helga began crying listening to herself sing, once more.)**

_"You thought I would forget,_

_But I remember _

_'Cause I remember _

_I remember _

_You thought I would forget,_

_But I remember _

_'Cause I remember _

_I remember"_

_"Cause it makes me that much stronger _

_Makes me work a little bit harder _

_It makes me that much wiser _

_So thanks for making me a fighter_

_ Made me learn a little bit faster _

_Made my skin a little bit thicker _

_Makes me that much smarter _

_So thanks for making me a fighter"_

The song ended, and Helga opened her eyes tears fully streaming down her face ruining her makeup a bit, as she held a look of determination in her eyes. Jean stood there with her jaw dropped to the floor, and Arnold held a malicious smile on his face.

"Ms. Pataki...your singing and acting career is about to sky rocket. I'm calling and setting you up for a video shoot for this song. I loved it, and more importantly it was beautiful. It was you out there, and not what everyone expects you to be. I'm proud of you kid, and amazed honestly." Jean said smiling warmly at her but still very excited.

Helga could feel eyes on her, so she turned to look behind Jeans glass office doors and everyone who worked in the office was whispering and talking amongst themselves, as one member started applauding. Everyone else seemed to join in as well till everyone was applauding, including Arnold. Helga was speechless, was her singing really that good?

"Wait, Helga I have one question for you..." Jean said, looking serious.

"Whats that?" Helga said, her tone returning to normal.

"Can you dance at all?" Jean asked her, looking directly at her.

Helga flushed, not really. Who was she kidding, not at all, she was as uncoordinated as two left feet.

"I take your silence as a no." Jean sighed to herself.

"I can." Arnold said, his eyes still glaring through the shadows, his voice deep and rumbling. He was still leaning against the wall in the corner of her office, and chose not to walk towards them.

"Really? Well...I bet you can." Jean said, eyeing him up and down.

"Alright that settles it, if you can't do a particular dance move ask your body guard to help you out" Jean said looking at Helga winking at her. Arnold smiled maliciously in the shadows.

"Also, Helga...if you want Arnold to be your co star in any of your videos...your more than welcome to do so. Just be ready to explain to the world...that you have been dating for six months now. So you need to be okay with fessing up if you want him to be your co star" Jean said honestly.

"I'm assuming I'll get paid as well for being a hired co star?" Arnold asked simply.

"Still the shrewd business man, yes you will be. Thats only IF your casted. I wouldn't get your hopes up if I were you." Jean said sternly. It made Arnold smile even more maliciously.

"_Eu não estou preocupado com isso, as pessoas são facilmente conquistado por meios simples._ **(I'm not worried about it, people are easily won over by simple means.)**" Arnold said, almost chuckling evil to himself.

There he goes again. Helga thought to herself, but who knows, it might be fun working with Arnold as an actual working partner.

"Shoo! Now you both just gave me more work to do!" Jean said, as Arnold walked out the office first swiftly and the crowd moved as soon as he opened the doors. Helga followed behind him, it was nice to have him take the reigns for once on something and she didn't have to worry about anything.

* * *

They hopped in the limo, as they probably took Helga over to her next job.

Arnold sat relaxed, but motionless, his eyes were closed.

"Hey Arnold." Helga said gently to him. Arnold smirked, still not opening his eyes. He turned part of hisself to her as if letting her know he was listening.

"Why don't you ever talk to me? You know like when were working?" Helga asked him really curious and rather bothered.

"_Porque falar é uma distração._ **(Because talking is a distraction.)**" Arnold said speaking fluently to Helga. His voice sounded deeper than usual. He seemed to be on edge, at least from what she could tell.

"English, please?" Helga pleaded this time.

Arnolds eyes shot open, and they were still bright. He turned away from her before he spoke.

"Talking is a distraction." Arnold said matter of factly.

"Sooo meaning...what?" Helga asked still not understanding him.

"I can't hear anything when I talk, Helga." Arnold said, his body tensing up for a second then relaxing after he breathed a sigh.

"Oh, you mean like around you?" Helga said, now finally understanding him.

"_Sim._ **(yes.)**" Arnold replied to her his dialect changing again.

"Alright what ever you say, yutz." Helga snapped at him now sounding irritated.

Arnold only spoke a different language because he liked being cryptic, hell even these past six months he threw away his phone and refuses to get a bank account. His paranoia was getting better, but some things he would not subjegate to. No online accounts, no bank account, and no phone. He liked it that way, it made him non existant to the world, and only existant to Helga. Thats all that mattered to him. Arnold did feel on edge lately, perhaps it was because he hadn't killed anything lately. Granted, he would kill animals but it wasn't the same. There's a type of euphoria or a type of high he didn't realize he would be missing on. He worked out, danced, and did all those things to help keep his mind from thinking about it. Sure he learned about it in Brazil...but it wasn't the same. He desperately wanted to speak one of his many languages to Helga. Not just one of them, like English. He wanted to speak Portuguese, Spanish, French, Arabic, Italian, and German all at one time so he would confuse anyone who was listening in. Sometimes she understood him, and other times she didn't. It still didn't matter to him, but he was just feeling a bit on edge because now he was waiting for something to happen so he could kill it for no reason. After all, he was a cold blooded killer, and his skills were getting weak and he didn't like it. Not one bit. But the worst part about this whole dilemma, was he wanted nothing more than to be with Helga.

They made a turn as the driver was taking her to her next job, Helga was still unaware of which one that was, but decided to relax for a bit.

"**OH MY GOD!**" The driver yelled, slamming on the brakes and suddenly the car was surrounded by blacked masked people with guns. Each of the black masked group began climbing on the limo and one arm broke from the limo and grabbed Helga.

Arnold smiled a wide, sadistic, and evilly malicious smile. Perfect, this is exactly what he was waiting on.

"**ARNOLD! HELP!**" Helga screamed for him, and he snapped into action as he suddenly pulled out his long knife.

Arnold cut quickly and swiftly at the persons arm that grabbed Helga trying to pull her up. His arm was completely severed and blood gashed everywhere all over Helga's hair and onto Arnolds face. Helga caught a quick glimpse and was horrified at him because she now saw Arnold had licked the blood off of his lips. He then quickly reached out with one arm and pulled his entire body out of the hole in the roof.

Helga could only sit completely mortified, now realizing that there was a severed mans hand laying on the floor of the limo and she was covered in blood. It was too much for her to handle...it reminded her, of...as Helga was thinking but ended up passing out.

Arnold had already scanned the area for security cameras as they were driving through the area, and Arnold landed swiftly on his feet of the limo.

"Which one is the leader? Bring him to me. Otherwise suffer the wrath _Do açougueiro _ **(of the butcher)**" Arnold said, his voice loud, deep and commanding. His blue eyes scanning the crowd of all the men dressed in black.

"_Ah, para que você não fala a minha língua, que é bom. _**(Ah so you do speak my language, that's good.)**" The black masked boy said, as he then walked up to the limo.

Arnold was standing on the roof of it, awaiting for him to speak again. Arnold couldn't hear Helga's heart beat at this point, but he could still hear a small pulse so he knew she would be okay so long as no one comes near the car.

"_Eu vou apenas cortar direto ao ponto, açougueiro. Você não se lembra de mim, mas eu vi você destruir minha aldeia inteira em uma única noite. Que tipo de homem faz isso, a menos que ele é um demônio. Eu jurei vingança em cima de você, e eu esperei até que eu estava pronto para enfrentá-lo._ **(I'll just cut right to the chase, butcher. You don't remember me, but I saw you destroy my entire village in one night. What kind of man does that unless he's a demon. I swore revenge upon you, and I waited until I was ready to face you. )**" The black masked man said, now taking his mask off to show his face to Arnold.

Arnold chuckled evilly at him, his eyes lighting up playfully in the midday sky. Arnold hadn't wiped the blood off of his face from when he severed the guys arm. His eyes were sparkling with joy.

"_Eu lembro de você, garoto. Eu deixá-lo viver, porque eu queria que você venha atrás de mim. Eu vi tanto potencial em seus olhos, como havia em mim quando cheguei a este país maldito. Então venha menino, me dê o seu melhor tiro. Eu te desafio._ **(I remember you, little boy. I let you live BECAUSE I wanted you to come after me. I saw as much potential in your eyes as there was in me when I first arrived to that damn country. So come on boy, give me your best shot. I dare you.)**" Arnold teased and challenged him, smirking confidently. His smile was as wide as the Cheshire cat.

"_Você demônio de olhos azuis! Vou trazer minha aldeia à justiça!_ **(You blue eyed demon! I will bring my village to justice!)**" The preteen boy said to him sending his men to attack Arnold first.

Arnold was still smiling even after they were charging after him.

* * *

Helga awoke, her driver had already left and now she remembered how gross she felt looking down at herself and freaked out. But she looked outside the limo and was mortified at what she saw.

"_Hahahaha, Isso é divertido, não é meninos?_ **(this is fun isn't it boys?)**" Arnold yelled out his voice rumbling, deep, and sadisticlly.

He was swiftly cutting and severing different parts of there bodies; like there arms, and there legs. But he made certain he did NOT kill them or hit major points that wasn't repairable. Either way, he was enjoying himself.

The preteen boy stood there mortified, and Helga gasped holding inside her scream at the look on Arnolds face.

Arnold was covered in blood and dirt, once he realized he was, he closed his eyes and and began stretching his arms and breathed in a long sigh after cracking his neck. To any normal person, it looked sick and morbid the way he moved, but to him this was Arnold actually getting warmed up.

It took everything inside her to not scream at what she was seeing, maybe Arnold was right about him all those times he warned her and she didn't listen.

"Now do you see Ms. Pataki what I tried to warn you of six months ago." Arnold merely said to her not turning to look in her direction, his voice was still gentle even though he was covered in blood. The preteen stood there infuriated.

"_Você não tem vergonha!?_ **(have you no shame!?)**" The preteen screamed at him. Arnold chuckled at him.

"_De quê? Minhas habilidades? Não. Eu passei muitos dias extensas, noites, semanas, até anos, aperfeiçoando o meu ofício. Volte para me enfrentar em seis a dez anos mais ou menos._ **(Of what? My abilities? No. I spent many extensive days, nights, weeks, even years, perfecting my craft. Come back to face me in six to ten more years or so.)**" Arnold said as he turned away from the boy quickly and began walking back to the limo. The preteen stood infuriated and wanting nothing more than to see this man dead.

"_Ouça, você pode querer levá-los a um hospital antes de sangrar até a morte._ **(Listen, you may want to get them to a hospital before they bleed to death.)**" Arnold said still walking away from the preteen leader of the attack.

"_Como se atreve a me mostrar misericórdia!?_ **(How dare you show me mercy!)**" The boy yelled to him, his face full of tears now. Arnold turned to face him now and spoke calmly.

"_É melhor ter sorte sua misericórdia, eu estou mostrando. Porque eu teria terminado essa luta antes, mas eu estava ... bem me divertindo._ **(You better be lucky its mercy I'm showing you. Because I would have ended this fight sooner, but I was...thoroughly enjoying myself.)**" Arnold spoke smiling sadistically.

"_Isso é algum tipo de piada para você!? _**(Is this some kind of joke for you!?)**" The preteen boy yelled, his voice now screeching.

"_Não, não é uma piada. Foi, divertido. Graças garoto que eu realmente precisava do exercício que eu estava começando a ficar confortável._ **(No, its not a joke. It was, fun. Thanks kid I really needed the exercise I was starting to get comfortable.)**" Arnold said, now turning away from the preteen boy. Arnold could hear the preteen boys footsteps as he was running swiftly away.

"Helga, can you call the hospital? They need help otherwise they will die." Arnold replied sounding genuine.

"**Get away from me! I mean it! Go away!**" Helga yelled at him, cowering in fear away from the window.

"Helga, I-" Arnold began to say and reached for her face and she forcefully shoved his hand away. Helga was shaking at this point. He had blood all over him, and he reeked of fresh blood, it was in his hair, on his clothes, and he even licked it off, gross, sick, No.

Arnold breathed a heavy sigh, and looked at Helga one last time. When she looked at him, he was saying...**Goodbye my love.**

Suddenly Helga's heart began to sink lower and lower into her stomach, and she ran out the limo towards Arnold hugging his back and crying.

"I'm sorry Arnold, I didn't mean it...I was just scared! I didn't know what to do, I-" Helga said gripping him tighter, not wanting to let him go. Both of them still coverd in blood but she didn't care, all she knew was that she might never see him again.

"No, you have every right to be. I told you this is who I was, and I'm sorry you had to see it. Helga make me another few promises please?" Arnold said, trying to sound emotionless as if fighting himself back.

"Anything." Helga said to him, with desperation in her voice.

"If you find me dead somewhere, please bury me and I want you to have all the money I've earned working for you. Do with it as you wish, just...be happy. Sing, be in the spotlight, and I'll be watching you for as long as I can. But I can't be with you now...its too dangerous to be with me. So goodbye Helga...my love. Thank you for showing me what happiness really is. I didn't think it was possible for me. But you showed me wrong right?" Arnold said having turnt towards her mid conversation and caressed her face. Arnold looked pained, and truly hurt, smearing blood on her face.

"But Arno-" Helga began to say, and Arnold grabbed her face, as he placed a finger over her lips to shush her.

"Another promise you will make me right now; you **will not** search for me. The next promise you will make to me, is you will **move on** and find another man to make you happy. Okay? I can let you go, because I love you. But I will not live with the regret of having anything happen to you. **Ever**. I would die a million deaths than to see you suffer, to see you cry, or to see anything happen to you. You'll be fine, because your a lot stronger than you think." Arnold said, gritting his teeth and his tears flowing from his face his body growing more and more tense.

"You can't ask me-" Helga began to say as Arnold heard sirens coming down their street. He took Helga's lips once more, and it was...cold. Helga could taste his tears on her lips. He broke away swiftly, and when Helga opened her eyes...he was gone.

Her heart had shattered into a million pieces, her stomach began hurting, and her tears stung her face. She felt sick, and empty inside. She collapsed to the concrete in the middle of the street and wailed out into the skys, as she fell and began jerkin herself back and forward. Helga was surrounded by men who had lost an arm, or maybe a leg, or both. Helga unknowingly landed into the pool of blood when she began jerking herself back and forwards.

"**ARNOLD! NOOOO!** _I can't..._" Helga screamed until the hospital truck showed up.

* * *

Arnold stood at the roof of the highest building at the time in the shadows as he saw Helga jerking herself back and forwards in the middle of the street in the pool of blood. Arnolds heart, or whatever was left of it...is now non existent and cursed everything holy. He no longer cared, and wished to challenge the boy hoping he would succeed in killing Arnold.

If he could not have Helga, he wanted nothing else. He fucked up, and there was no making this one up, and he knew it. Thats what made him the most upset. Helga never had to worry about typical relationship issues that most couples talk about; getting bored, there significant other cheating on them. No, she had to worry about whenever he got the urge to kill, and keeping his secret about his past.

But it was because of Helga that he didn't kill them mercilessly like he would have back then. Perhaps that's all he had now, was to go back to that place. That was his home...this place was not.

Not it would've made any difference whether he killed them or not, he still caused them harm. Only because he thought they were coming after Helga at first, then he took advantage of the fact that it was because he was looking for Arnold that he decided to throw everything away.

Helga deserved a better man than he. It was a shame, he really did look forward to building more memories and working with her...all of that was gone. All by his one stupid urge to want to slice something human.

Arnold allowed his tears to flow from his eyes as he watched Helga drive away from him. This was the last time he was ever going to see her...the further away she drove the more he reverted back to his old face before he met her. The shadow overcasted him, and his eyes turning more and more cold. For you see...Arnold now knew, he just lost not just his love...but the very reason he lives alltogether.

Arnold did not bother to wipe the tears from his face, simply turned away from the the street he last saw Helga, and jumped from the roof...disappearing into the darkness.

**-End Of Chapter 12**

* * *

_Music video by Britney Spears performing Everytime. (C) 2004 Zomba Recording LLC_

_Music video by Christina Aguilera performing Fighter. (C) 2002 RCA/JIVE Label Group, a unit of Sony Music Entertainment._


	13. Chapter 13: Hope Or Despair?

_Chapter 13: Despair or Hope?_

Helga was completely torn apart and distraught. She fell into a deep depression where the media began saying it was because she may have went through a breakup, and the rumors got worse. Life didn't seem as important to her without him, sure he was a killer...or was he? He did initially do it to save her. Helga lost count of the many days she had spent cooped up in her house. Helga would spaz out and tell all of her crew members to get out from time to time. She walked around aloof most of the time.

Helga was strangely attatched to the bloody clothes she was wearing that day and wouldn't let anyone near it. As time passed and she wallowed into her depression and did nothing, her fans started loosing interest in her.

One day after a few months had passed now, she had wandered into the bathroom and looked at the bloody clothes she was wearing that day...she got down on both of her knees and clutched the clothes close to her as if hugging something precious to her. A part of her had died that day, and now she understood what Arnold must have felt that day when he lost everything. Was she a fool to have fallen in love with him again? Its like, she was only destined for this one man...over, and over...again, and again. Was this pain some kind of torture to her? If so, why? What did she ever do that so bad? Sure she may have teased him, but that was because she was too much of a coward to tell him how she really felt. Now she would give anything to see him again. To touch him again, to have him whisper the words of love to her. Her scariest nightmare had come true, and it made her sick.

As Helga was hugging those bloody clothes she knew what she had to do...but at this point she didn't care. She was going to do whatever it took to see him again. Only this time, she was not going to be this weak minded person. She had been broken one too many times, and if she was going to be with Arnold this time around...she was going to be tough. A helluva lot more tough. The sunlight had caught her bright brown eyes and although to others she may have looked empty...to her, she was determined.

* * *

**Three months and two days later**

"_Então você desfrutar o seu tempo nos Estados Unidos? _**(So did you enjoy your time in the states?)**" One of Arnolds friend asked him.

Arnold decided to stay in the big city this time, instead of out in the forest like he normally would. At this point, he was merely waiting on something good or bad to happen, and its always bad. Surprisingly he found a way to take most of his money with him, of course he kept it hidden where only he knew and would never tell anyone.

Arnold sat at the end of a cliff that allowed him to see the city Rio de Janerio, as Arnold was drinking his beer and smoking his cigarette.

Arnold scoffed at his question before asking it.

"_Sim, eu era capaz de ver o meu amigo de infância. Seu nome é Helga, ela é famosa nos Estados Unidos, e logo ela vai estar internacional._ **(Yeah, I was able to see my childhood friend. Her name's Helga, shes famous and pretty soon she'll be international.)**" Arnold said speaking about her lovingly, and his heart sank lower into his stomach the more he thought about her. He inhaled his cigarette and blew out and waiting for his ex comrade to respond.

"_Entendo, então o que aconteceu?_ **(I see, so what happened?)**" He replied, looking genuinely concerned for him. Arnold breathed a sarcastic smile not looking at him, his eyes were not bright, but were a muddled navy color, and filled with much pain.

"_Ela viu o meu verdadeiro eu. Alguém tinha atacado a limusine e eu também - você sabe sobre o meu apelido. Disse o suficiente._ **(She saw the real me. Someone had attacked the limo and I well-you know about my nickname. Enough said.)**" Arnold said taking a swig of his beer, and another puff of his cigarette. This pain in his chest was unbearable, he felt like he couldn't breathe. Damn him for missing Helga.

"_Eu vejo,Então diga-me uma coisa, por que ela é tão especial para você. Quero dizer além de ela ser uma amiga de infância_. **(I see, so tell me something. Why is she so special to you? I mean besides her being your childhood friend.)**" His friend asked curious, he had seen Butcher out in the field before and it was just wrong, and insane. Arnold breathed a sarcastic smile again.

"_Ela é a única mulher que eu já disse tudo sobre mim para ..._**(She's the only woman I've told everything about myself to...)**" Arnold admitted to him, sipping his beer and re lighting another cigarette because his old one went out.

His friends eyes were bulging out of his head when he said this.

"_Tudo? Significado..._ **(Everything? Meaning...)**" His friend spoke awaiting Butchers response.

"_Tudo, Eduardo ... a partir do momento que ela deixou na sétima série até agora. Mesmo algumas das coisas que eu aprendi aqui._ **(Everything Eduardo...from the time she left in seventh grade until now. Even some of the things I learned here...)**" Arnold admitted his voice and eyes drifting away, and he took a puff of his cigarette.

Now his friend was worried.

**"**_O patrão vai matá-la se ele descobrir! E você disse que ela é famosa o que significa que ela vai ser fácil de encontrar! _**(The boss will kill her if he finds out! And you said she's famous so that means she'll be easy to find!)**" Eduardo speaking loudly for his friend.

"_Ele não vai, contanto que ninguém lhe diz..._**(He won't, so long as no one tells him...)**" Arnold said threatning his friend. Eduardo shivered under his gaze.

"_No entanto, se eu sei Helga, ela vai sair dessa e seguir em frente de mim ... Ou entrar cegamente procurando por mim._ **(However, if I know Helga, she'll snap out of it and either move on from me, or come blindly looking for me.)**" Arnold said aloud, hoping she would come look for him. However he didn't want her to at the same time.

"_Como você pode ter tanta certeza de que ela pode até considerar olhando para você? Está The Butcher depois de tudo..._ **(How can you be so sure that she might even consider looking for you? You are The Butcher after all...)**" Eduardo said not understanding him, because he sounded like he was talking crazy. Arnold finally smiled to the sky, smoked his cig and finally looked at his friend before speaking.

**"**_Porque eu e ela, são mais parecidos do que qualquer um de nós gostaria de pensar que nós somos ..._** (Because me and her, are more alike than either of us like to think we are)**" Arnold spoke, only wishing it were true.

* * *

**Three Months and Three Days Later**

Helga walked into the Salon dressed to the nines and papparazzi bombarded her with questions about what happened to her and she eloquently answered them as she always did. She walked into the salon and introduced herself.

"What can I do you for Ms. Pataki?" The salon stylist said to her.

"I want my hair cut really short. I recently scheduled a recording and I want a new look before I shoot the video." Helga politely said to him.

"Alright if you insist." The salon stylist says to her, offering her a chair, and Helga finally sat down. They placed the long black nylon cloth around her and he began cutting. Helga looked at herself in the mirror, and she looked blank faced, a bit angry, and more than determined.

"Shorter" Helga snapped at him. He did as he was told.

"Shorter." Helga said to him. He did so.

"And color too, I want to shock everyone!" Helga managed to say playfully to the stylist.

Once the service was done, Helgas hair was dyed a cold black color, sure it may have made her skin look pale but to her with the right makeup it was the perfect color. Her hair was cut similar to a bob with a longer bang in the front right side of her face. Once Helga had stepped out of the salon everyone took pictures of her new look and she thanked them as she got in her car and drove to where she was going to learn.

"Teach me how to fire a gun." Helga spoke to the guy she had just met, they were meeting at the gun range.

"Well before you can fire, you have to know more about a gun first." Her trainer said. Helga merely nodded in response, as they began discussing about the ins and outs about guns. This was going to take her a little while to remember.

* * *

**Three Months & Three Days Later (Nightfall)**

He missed her everyday, every minute of every hour that passed. Sure he still enjoyed killing certain things, but all he wanted was to be laying next to her, and holding her. Arnold was laying outside in the Amazon, he already set up his hammock and the bugs were biting him but he didn't care. He just kept thinking about Helga, and realizing that shes fragile now and it almost made him want to leave and go back to her. But he wasn't going to doubt Helga, it didn't matter what pushed her down or pushed her back. She always found some type of way to come back on top. Hmmm...this allowed his mind to drift at the taste of her sweat and the way she looked on top of him. He let out a small smile play on his lips in case he was being watched. Great, now he was going to have a hard time sleeping.

* * *

**Four Months Later**

"Alright, there's nothing else I can teach you. You know about all the guns, and how to fire each and every weapon." Her trainer said.

"Now will you teach me how to use a knife?" Helga asked insistantly, her face showing no emotion at all. No fear, no love, nothing. Her trainer scoffed at her before speaking.

"Tell you what, I'll send you to a specialist. I take it you'll want to know how to fight, but I gotta warn you Ms. Pataki, you will have to get hit in order to train properly." Her gun specialist said to her. Helga smiled sadistically.

"Perfect." Helga had waited for so many years to finally take her anger out on. Its not she hadn't been hit before. Only this time...she was ready. She had these few things to do. But now she was going to send out an international music...by singing.

He told her so, and she was going to. But it wasn't going to be cute, happy, or sad. It was going to be a message of undersanding to her love, Arnold. It was going to be cryptic enough where only he would understand, and no one else. The main idea she wanted to send to him was...

That she officially snapped.

* * *

**Five Months Later Early Morning**

"_Ei olhos azuis! Você ouviu isso romancista realmente doce saiu com uma música! Não é realmente como ela, eu achava que ela era uma boa mulher._ **(Hey Blue Eyes! Did you hear that really sweet novelist has come out with a song! Its really not like her, I thought she was a nice woman)**" One of his comrades yelled out to Arnold.

Arnold laid back calmly on his Hammock not showing any type of reaction, but on the inside was daring to find out if it was Helga or not. It would be too much of a coincidence. But then again, they did always keep running into each other in some way shape or form.

"_O que você está falando? O romancista?_ **(What are you talking about? What novelist?)**" Arnold replied shrugging him off, still dying to know on the inside.

"_Hum, deixa ver .. hum, o nome dela é .. Pataki, sim Helga eu acredito._ **(Um, lets see..um, her name is..Pataki, yeah Helga I believe. There showing her video on televison soon. Come back to camp so we can all watch it.)**" His comrade said. Arnold's heart skipped a beat at ther sound of her name.

"_Seu ir internacional porque está causando tamanho tumulto nos estados._ **(Its going international because its causing such an uproar in the states.)**" Arnolds comrade said barely taking a breath.

"_É só me chamar antes de começar._ **(Yeah just call me before it starts)**" Arnold replied shooing him away so he could catch a minute to his thoughts.

Arnold thought by now she would have gotten over him, and moved on. But it made him really happy that she didn't. He did nothing but think of her, all day, everyday, and the pain in his heart was unbearable. The worst part about it was that he can barely talk about it to anyone considering they would kill her. Arnold would put all his comrades to death before ever having them lay a hand on Helga. He was known as the butcher after all. Before he killed with no purpose, now he has one and its to protect Helga. If being away from her is protecting her, then so be it. However, depending on what he sees...it could change his mind to come back he still wasn't sure though.

"_Os vídeos sobre a qual é!_ **(The videos about to come on!)**" One guy yelled for Arnold to come over.

Arnold's hair was longer, and it barely touched his back. He was wearing black camaflouge pants and a long black wife beater, his muscles a bit more defined now seeing as he had time to work out and kill almost as much as he pleased. He also work black combat boots. He was the only one in his squad to dress all black, he liked it that way...

They all sat together in the cabin with the mini telvision on and the MTV host spoke.

**_"People are still talking about this video that was realeased last week by none other than the famous author of the novel "Lost Love & Lost Soul's" Helga Pataki."_**

He knew it...Arnolds heart was in his throat, but he still showed no reaction as they all sat intently listening and watching.

**_"This video has had more hits than anything on youtube right now, and is causing quite an uproar. Check it out...here's Pataki's music video...Disturbia"_**

Arnold had lost all the blood in his face as he quickly flashed back to the memory of one there conversations:

* * *

_"So what exactly would you call that side of you...that always wants to kill, or go insane?" Helga asked rather intrigued._

_"Disturbia." Arnold merely uttered under his breath._

_"What?" Helga said not hearing his answer._

_"I would call it Disturbia." Arnold said, smiling sadistically without meaning to._

_"Well why would you call it that?" Helga asked curious and somewhat scared of him at his gaze._

_"Its a combination word, which means something completely different but when I think about what happened to me after I realized I lost everything. My mind went into the realm of insanity and I killed everything and everyone. I call it Disturbia." Arnold said genuinely. As Helga hugged onto him close._

* * *

**Back to the present...**

He couldn't believe she remembered what he said so long ago, and what kind of video was she going to make? This gave him an unsettling feeling in his stomach.

Everything in the video looked freakish, dark, and Helga looked dark and twisted. Arnolds lips almost curled into a smile, not only was he able to see the woman he's in love with on the screen. She was able to do something she wanted, fully express herself, and let out all her anger and all the morbidly twisted things about her he was drawn to her in the first place. He sat intently watching.

* * *

_"Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum _

_Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum _

_Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum _

_Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum"_

_"What's wrong with me?_  
_Why do I feel like this?_  
_I'm going crazy now"_

_"No more gas in the rig _

_Can't even get it started _

_Nothing heard, nothing said _

_Can't even speak about it _

_Out my life, out my head _

_Don't wanna think about it _

_Feels like I'm going insane _

_Yeah"_

_"It's a thief in the night to come and grab you _

_It can creep up inside you And consume you _

_A disease of the mind _

_It can control you _

_It's too close for comfort"_

_"Put on your pretty lies _

_We're in the city of wonder_

_ Ain't gonna play nice _

_Watch out, you might just go under _

_Better think twice _

_Your train of thought will be altered _

_So if you must falter be wise"_

_"Your mind is in Disturbia _

_It's like the darkness is the light _

_Disturbia _

_Am I scaring you tonight?_

_Disturbia _

_Ain't used to what you like _

_Disturbia _

_Disturbia"_

_"Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum _

_Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum _

_Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum _

_Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum"_

_"Faded pictures on the wall _

_It's like they talkin' to me _

_Disconnectin' your call _

_Your phone don't even ring _

_I gotta get out _

_Or figure this shit out _

_It's too close for comfort, oh."_

_"It's a thief in the night _

_To come and grab you _

_It can creep up inside you _

_And consume you _

_A disease of the mind _

_It can control you I feel like a monster"_

_"Put on your pretty lies _

_We're in the city of wonder (City of lights)_

_Ain't gonna play nice (oh)_

_Watch out, you might just go under _

_Better think twice (think twice)_

_Your train of thought will be altered _

_So if you must falter be wise (be wise)"_

_"Your mind is in disturbia _

_It's like the darkness is the light _

_Disturbia _

_Am I scaring you tonight?_

_Disturbia _

_Ain't used to what you like (what you like)_

_Disturbia _

_Disturbia"_

_"Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum _

_Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum_

_ Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum _

_Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum"_

_"Release me from this curse _

_I'm in Trying to maintain _

_But I'm struggling _

_If you can't go, go, go _

_I think I'm gonna oh, oh, oh"_

_"Put on your pretty lies _

_We're in the city of wonder _

_Ain't gonna play nice _

_Watch out, you might just go under _

_Better think twice (better think twice)_

_Your train of thought will be altered _

_So if you must falter be wise (if you must falter be wise)"_

_"Your mind is in disturbia _

_It's like the darkness is the light _

_Disturbia _

_Am I scaring you tonight?_

_Disturbia _

_Ain't used to what you like (disturbia)_

_Disturbia Disturbia"_

_"Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum _

_Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum _

_Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum _

_Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum"_

* * *

Arnolds smile was infectious and he didn't even mean it to be.

Her song told him everything, I miss you, I love you, I understand you now, I'm depressed, that she is completely infected with the disease of disturbia from him, and more importantly...she had snapped. She was blatently talking about Arnold and he knew it, only he would've understood what Disturbia was in the first place.

He loved it, and he loved her hair how it was cut short and black. She looked like she had been working out and she was much tanner and dirtier, and more tough. He had to listen to it again, to crack the code she left at his feet. Now she was speaking cryptically to him? This woman was beyond amazing, and he missed her like an addict for a hit of drugs. Not to mention her voice sounded incredible. She had so much range and different selling styles.

He also could not help but get aroused at how she looked so twisted, and sadistic, emotionless and evil, just as he was at a time. God he wanted her more than he did before.

However he thought she was going to give up on him and move on, this gave him hope for there relationship. But he was going to give it more time, this was sensitive and he was the one who fucked it up the first time. He would not ruin this shit again. Plus, he needed to spend that extra time cracking the code she left in her song for him.

If he cracked it successfully, and finally figured out everything...his worst hope and nightmare may have to come to frutition.

* * *

**Five Months Later Midday**

Helga smiled, brushing her short black bang from her face after finishing her workout for the day. She kept seeing her video playing all day on the screen and it gave her nothing but motivation to go see him and finish everything up here.

The doorbell rang, and she let her knife specialist inside to teach her about different knives, and just how dangerous they can be and how to duck one, how to pull one out properly, and how to wield it as well. But no one would tell her how to stick it to someone to kill, only to temporarily take them down.

Helga would not accept this, considering her name and how famous she is...she knew that if she traveled to the wrong side of anywhere she could end up being dead. She didn't want to rely on Arnold to come save her like last time.

She was going to be strong, and she was going to get him back, and if she was going to do that successfully she was going to need to stand on her own two feet, and maybe even against him if she needed to.

She knew Arnold well enough that if she came to see him, they would end up fighting each other not because he wanted to and she didn't either. But as a means to prove herself if she is capable of staying with him...and the other reason...was because she broke her promise.

Helga did take on as much work as she could to avoid thinking about him, however it did her no good. A part of her had died that day when he left her in tears in the streets. That day, also...finally awoken her anger. She intended to use all of it.

* * *

**Five Months and Six Days Later Early Morning**

Arnold awoke to the sound of the rain forest, the weather was always hot and humid, even at night. Arnod was sweating, and his blonde hair was always messy, it was much longer than it was before...his hair barely touched the back of his neck.

Now that Arnold went on more missions with his comrades, he had returned to what he knew but his heart always ached for Helga.

He kept replaying the song in his mind trying to decipher what she was saying word for word.

He laid in his Hammock that he made himself high up in the treets, not moving as he was staring at the sunlights reflection peeking through the trees. He heard the sounds of nature, and distinct animals and it brought him comfort. He breathed in the humid air, and the bugs were biting at him. but he didn't care.

He kept thinking about how different she looked, she looked tougher and she had a tan. Not that light tan he remembered her having, but more like an olive tan just a bit deeper than before.

Being out in the sunlight did the same for him as well, and his hair shone in stark contrast to his tan and deep blue eyes.

Arnold would never admit to anyone else except for Eduardo that he was in love with someone. He couldn't let it show, this was his decision and it was best for her.

Whenever he did have free time, he would always turn through the news channels and see if they mentioned anything about Helga, or showed a picture...anything. He had nothing to go on except his memory, and it drove him to death almost.

She looked evil in her last music video, and it aroused him thinking about it. What he wouldn't give to just hold her again, but he got the feeling that the video she sent was more than just she had snapped and she accepted him. It was to prepare him for something, and rarely did something visual make him shiver or scare him. If it was anything that did, it was her...and it was arousing as well.

He is so many kinds of twisted.

He licked his lips thinking about her with short black hair, and dirty tan she had, now that she was more fit he could do so many more things with her and he knew she could handle it and no longer be afraid. That look she gave to the camera. He wanted that Helga. His mind began to race at the thoughts of her, biting her neck until she bled lightly...and the taste of her sweat and blood mixed together. He let out a low growl now filled with much need and agony at the thought of her. A pleasurable shiver raced through his spine at the thought her attacking him with a knife, that cold stare in her eyes, naked and there bodies pressed together. Hmmm...as he suddenly had to smack himself before his thoughts raced too far ahead of him, he had a mission later today and he needed to be focused. But had he known it would have taken him to leave to have her snap like this, he would have done so sooner.

Then Arnolds face went from pleasurable to grim.

The only bad part about her is that, if she fully recognizes her own strength and is trained properly to hone her anger as he did...they may be equal. He had mixed feelings about it. He left her because he wanted her to live her life being sweet and gentle, even though he knew this side existed to her...he was finally able to see it somewhat. Even if it was over the television screen.

The only reason why he couldn't have anyone find out about his love for her is because it makes you weak. The first rule he learned in being a successful killer...is to detach yourself from social/moral norms, and more importantly to those you love. At the time when he was told this, he was an orphan with nothing to adapt to. Helga still at least had people that cared about her...himself included.

So knowing this rule amongst his comrades...it meant in order to prove himself, he may have to kill her if she comes searching for him.

He grimaced at the thought, and it was enough to have him jump off the hammock he was laying on and meet his end. He didn't want this, now he only prayed that boy he met in the city would come for her. Before she did...

* * *

**Six Months Later Evening**

"You still can't tell me what happened to Arnold?" Pheebs asked over the phone.

"If you want to know, you have to come visit me. I cannot tell you over the phone." Helga said, sounding completely detached.

Pheebs was worried about her friend, she had tried calling her and now she received word from the media that she was more detached and sad. Pheebs did not like this at all, and even though she had things to do the next morning and she was basically in another state all together she decided she was going to & Gereld was going to come as well.

"Alright, make the arrangements. I'll come see you, and I want all the luxuries of a famous singer too!" Pheebs replied sounding serious but a bit lighthearted at the same time.

"Alright, I'll send a private jet for you. See you in a few hours." Helga spoke, not awaiting her response before hanging up the phone and making the necessary arrangements for them to arrive.

A Couple of Hours Later...

Pheebs walking into Helga's large apartment and as soon as they entered through the door, Helga was standing in the kitchen, Pheebs sounded like she heard Helga sharpening a knife. This made Phoebe jump, and Gereld was exploring the apartment a bit now he realized Helga had a rather large long knife in her right hand and she was still sharpening it. Pheebs and Gerald walked into the kitchen and Phoebe spoke first.

"Hey Helga." Phoebe said as gently as she could muster without sounding too terrified.

"Yo, so whats with the knife! It looks awesome!" Gerald said to her finally. Helga did not look in there direction, this was not the Helga Phoebe knew and something bad...really bad happened.

Helga stopped sharpening the knife, and breathed a sigh before speaking.

"Hey Pheebs, how have you been? I've been well bus-" Helga said but was cut short by Phoebe hugging Helga.

Helga froze for a moment.

"I don't know what happend, but I know it was something bad...I'm so sorry for not being there for you like I should have. I'm here now, please Helga...I can see your hurting, and I'm right here" Phoebe said, and Helga began hugging Phoebe back, and they both cried together for a few moments.

Gerald had the look on confusion on his face.

"I hate to break up your uh chick flick moment, but can someone fill me in on whats going on?" Gerald said now stepping closer to them.

Phoebe broke the hug from Helga.

"Its a best friend thing, right Helga?" Phoebe said, just looking at Helga. Helga smiled finally.

"Yeah, it is." Helga replied to her.

"Hey, uhm...I'll go get drinks...trust me your gonna need them." Helga began to say a bit more light heartedly as she scurried off to go get wine for the ladies and Gerald a beer.

They then proceeded to walk to the living room, and Phoebe and Gerald sat down on the sofa and Helga sat on one of her chairs surrounded by the coffee table.

"Whats going on?" said Gerald now gulping his beer.

"Yeah, I'm dying to know...and I'm worried" Phoebe spoke concerned.

Helga breathed in a long, heavy sigh after took a sip of her wine.

"Okay, I'll tell you but I need you to PROMISE you won't tell anyone! Got it!" Helga practically yelling at them. They both nodded they heads in response to her. Helga looked down at her glass of wine, and then back at them...her expression now serious.

It gave Phoebe an unsettling feeling and she didn't like it one bit.

Arnold stood on the cliff overlooking the city, holding his beer and smoking his cigarette. His clothes were dirty, muddy and a lot of dried blood on them.

When he left on there mission, Arnold was unable to kill a child because all he kept thinking about was Helga.

He needed to forget about her, but he just couldn't. Now it was starting to affect his life, or what life they had built for him here.

The men of course raped the women, and it was Helga's face on each of them so he needed to distance himself from them, so he disappeared into the trees and was tree hopping so no one would hear his footsteps on the ground.

He gritted his teeth and took a sip of his beer.

Arnold turned to look at the night sky and could only wonder what Helga was doing right now.

Did he really fuck up there relationship in the first place? Or was it always fucked up from the beginning?

How was it possible that she had changed him for the six months they were together, her by his side...and his...by hers. Always and forever.

He needed to forget...forget the many silent tears he cries to himself so many countless nights.

Forget how beautiful she looked in the morning.

Forget how soft her skin was, and how her breath tasted in the morning. Gross, but he didn't care.

Forget the way her hair matted in the back in a special pattern that always made him laugh and tease her...

Arnold not realizing now lost in his thoughts, tears had fell from one eye, his focus still on the night sky.

His heart now completely sunken, and his teeth were grinding against each other, and he had a hard time swallowing the dry lump in his throat.

He closed his eyes to attempt to forget about her.

His eyes now bright blue when they shot open, as he finished his beer, tossed it over the cliff and jumped swiftly in the air grabbing the tree behind him with one arm and swung himself back to where his comrades were to finish the job he left alone. Perhaps killing the damned child would help him forget Helga alltogether...

"Oh my God, how truly horrible." Phoebe said clutching her stomach now allowing every detail to set in.

Gerald had his hands buried into his hands, looking as if he were trying to hold back something. Helga merely sat there staring into the wine, not showing much emotion at all.

"You knew all of this about him and you still dated him?" Phoebe spoke now her voice sounding mousey and like she was wincing in pain.

Helga said nothing in response.

"That fucking idiot." Gerald scoffed under his breath before bringing his face back out of his hands to meet Helga's.

"Helga, he could've really hurt you!" Phoebe said somewhat screaming at Helga.

Helga did not respond to her concerned friend, merely looked away and decided to focus her attention on something else.

"Helga, what happened between you two? When you called me you sounded so happy" Phoebe asked knowing it would pain her friend, but needed to know.

Helga poured herself some more wine, took a sip before returning to her friend.

"I saw him...in action." Helga could only say.

"What do you mean in action?" Gerald asked now curious at what she meant.

Helga looked directly at Gerald.

"When my limo was attacked, remember I hired Arnold as my body gaurd because I thought it would do him some good. We even lived together...but anyways. My limo was attacked and someone broke the roof of my limo open and a hand grabbed my hair, I screamed and just like that without me blinking Arnold had severed the mans arm clean off and blood spattered everywhere. The scary part was...he was smiling, and he licked his lips like he was enjoying it. Pulled himself out with one arm and landed on the limo. I didn't hear much after that because I had passed out from all the blood on me. When I woke up, and looked out the limo window, I saw Arnold standing speaking to a little boy in another language, next thing I know I see him cutting the little boys soldiers everywhere; Severing body parts, hands, arms, legs. There was blood everywhere and it stained his clothes and it covered a good portion of his face. Arnold looked...like he was euphoric. I wanted to scream, because God that look on his face..." Helga telling her tale, still getting the shivers whenever she talked about it.

Geralds eyes were bulging out of his head, his lips a half smile but his brain telling him that this was not his best friend she could have saw.

Phoebe looked like she wanted to throw up.

"That was the same look I had on my face too, Pheebs." Helga spoke briefly.

"Once he was finished with severing most or some of there body parts, he spoke to the boy and the boy kept yelling something at them but Arnold looked like he was paying him no mind. Like he was toying with them. I have never seen anything like that in my life, and what scared me the most...was his demenor completely shifted once he reached me and he asked me to call the ambulance or something. His eyes looked so warm, but his face was covered in blood...I just couldn't, I was too scared. So I pushed his hand away, and he looked sad. Next thing I know, he broke up with me, and he promised me to move on without him, that if he dies and I find his corpse that I can have all the money to do what I want with it, and that I will find another man to be with. He said he would always be watching over me..." Helga was now in tears, and she was shivering.

Phoebe walked over to Helga to hug her, and they shared a moment of silence...

"I don't believe you." Gerald spoke now breaking the silent moment. Phoebe looked at him confused.

"No, theres no way Arnold would do any of that stuff." Gerald said shaking his head in dismay. Gerald now could see one of Helgas eye that shot him a very evil scary look. Helga pushed Phoebe away gently.

"Come with me." Helga said coldly to both of them, as Helga put her shoes on and they walked to the garage. They opened the back of the limo door and the floor was soaked with blood on the floor.

Phoebe didn't want to see anymore, she had seen enough, why was Gerald pressing the issue?

"Okay, so what?" Gerald spoke still disbelieving her claims. Helga then reached into the backseat and pulled out what looked like to be a DVD that read Limo Security Cameras. They walked back upstairs and Helga quickly scanned the area to make sure no one was nearby, as she shut the curtains and put the DVD inside her player and allowed the camera to show the footage of that day.

Phoebe was mortified, because it wasn't like a regular security camera equipped with any limo...it was as if it was a video recorder versus a security camera. It was crisp, and very very detailed and vivid.

_("Hahaha isso divertido, n o meninos?")_

As Helga paused the DVD and found a way to zoom in on Arnolds face. His face, and his hair was covered in blood, and his eyes shone brightly through all the blood that covered his face. He looked like he was in euphoria.

Gerald couldn't believe what he was seeing. His best friend was a cold blooded murderer. He enjoyed killing? This was not the same thing. Now looking at Arnolds face made him want to go and hide.

"I hid this from the police when they searched the limo for any evidence." Helga admitted.

"I don't understand you Helga, look at him! He's dangerous, and he could end up getting you killed! You understand me!" Phoebe was yelling now hoping to knock some sense into Helga's head.

Helga stared lovingly at the screen.

"I didn't understand him then, when I was with him...I spent most of our relationship trying to change him to have him be good, and I spent most of the time working and keeping things about me away from him. He never yelled at me, never laid a hand on me, he loved me...and...I...still..." Helga began to say but the lump coming to her throat made her unable to speak any longer as tears came to her eyes.

"How can he love you Helga? All he knows how to do is kill! Not love..." Phoebe said, allowing her fear to get the better of her. Helga began fast forwarding to what he said to her when he broke up with her and turned the volume up.

_[("No, you have every right to be. I told you this is who I was, and I'm sorry you had to see it. Helga make me another few promises please?")_

_("If you find me dead somewhere, please bury me and I want you to have all the money I've earned working for you. Do with it as you wish, just...be happy. Sing, be in the spotlight, and I'll be watching you for as long as I can. But I can't be with you now...its too dangerous to be with me now. So goodbye Helga...my love. Thank you for showing me what happiness really is. I didn't think it was possible for me. But you showed me wrong right?")_

_("Another promise you will make me right now; you will not search for me. The next promise you will make to me, is you will move on and find another man to make you happy. Okay? I can let you go, because I love you. But I will not live with the regret of having anything happen to you. Ever. I would die a million deaths than to see you suffer, cry, or to see anything happen to you. You'll be fine, because your a lot stronger than you think.")_

_The footage showed there kiss, and he disappeared and it showed Helga falling to the ground yelling for him and jerking back and forwards.]_

Gerald was shocked yet again, when he watched this part he knew Arnold meant it. Sure it may have sounded cheesy but it wasn't, it was real, and it showed.

Phoebe was in tears having watched that part. She had no idea what she had been going through. Phoebe couldn't imagine life without Gerald, it would tear her apart.

Helga was now crying grasping her chest in agony.

"I can't...live without him, all my life he's all I ever wanted. He's the only one I've dreamed about when my life was shitty, and it was the thought of maybe one day I will see him again that made me write. I was the one always calling out to him...yet when we finally are together and in harmony, and truly happy I had to go and mess it up" Helga wailed as she fell to the floor, still clutching her chest. Phoebe went to go hug her friend again, and Gerald merely stared at Helga.

"Sorry, its just been me in the house by myself and he used to live with me...so all I have are memories of me and him. So sorry about my little mini drama episode" Helga spoke trying to play it off.

"So then whats with the new hair? Helga I saw you sharpen a knife in the kitchen" Gerald asked, somehow knowing where this conversation was going.

Helga breathed in a sigh and wiped up her tears. Her brown eyes looked fierce and evil before she spoke.

"Before I didn't understand him, but it wasn't until the thought of him dead by that little boy that made me...well, snap. What he described to me what happened after loosing his grandparents first, and then finally when he found the bones of his parents...he said something inside him...snapped. I understand it now." Helga said her body now relaxed at having said this.

Gerald smiled widely, he knew it.

"Do you know what your saying? Your saying that..." Phoebe began to say before she was cut short by Helga's interjection.

"I'm completely insane Phoebe. Is exactly what I'm saying, I'm obsessed with learning everything I can about weaponry, how to fight, and even more importantly...how to win Arnold back. I'm not that weak girl he left in the limo, I have a plan and I'm not giving up until I have him back. I will fight him back if thats what it takes." Helga spoke confidently, but still holding an evil glare in her brown eyes.

"Your not insane Helga, just in love." Gerald said smiling warmly at her, his arms folded over.

"Well, love is insanity isn't it?" Helga responded sheepishly, now a bit more playful.

"Wait! But-" Phoebe began to say but was hushed by her husband.

"Phoebe, this is when Helga needs our help." Gerald spoke to her smiling.

"How would you end up fighting him though that part doesn't make any sense?" Gerald spoke not understanding that part.

Helga merely looked at him.

"Arnold told me the very first thing he learned was to detach yourself from all things close to him. So guess what? Take an empty shell of a human being who has no family, and you have the perfect recipe for a killer. He also told me that he had to remove himself of all moral and social norms. So if thats the case, someone from higher up taught Arnold this, and if I'm his weakness and hes mine...it would only make sense..." Helga said, still not wanting to admit it but just did.

"Helga, when it comes time to do it...don't." Phoebe said to her finally interjecting. She couldn't believe all of this, because it made her head spin and she was so confused.

"If you need anything, let us know. We gotta go now." Gerald spoke, as he grabbed Phoebe and began walking back out towards the private jet that was waiting in the back.

Helga began staring at the television screen with her clutching herself on the ground. Helga looked at it with disguist and she re hid the DVD. She tried to get some sleep for the night, but already knew she wasn't.

* * *

**Ten Months Later**

Helga had learned everything she needed to know. How to speak his language, how to defend herself studying multiple different martial arts, using either a gun, a knife, or a weapon. Now all she needed to do was send one more message to him...the first one was spoken of understanding, now this one was going to tell him how much she loves him and misses him. She wondererd what he looked like now? Helga didn't need to find out where he was. She knew him well enough where she knew where he was already. Plus the fact he told her without exactly telling her, she recently found out that Portugese in mostly spoken in Brazil, but she was going to start at the major cities first. She would not stop until she found him. A part of her was dying and aching to see him, to touch him, to hold him, and to make love to him once more, and the other part was still terrified of seeing him because she knew it may or it may not end up in a fight. Either way, she was not going to give up on him now, not ever.

Helga had booked a flight over to Brazil and her first stop was one of the well known cities "Rio de Janerio" It was a tourist place, but she read somewhere that there's a lot of crime but she wasn't sure. Either way it was worth looking into. She knew wherever crime was, he was going to be there. Now she had figured out how to get her weapons past security and flight check. So she was all set. Her stomach was in butterflies thinking about finally being able to see him. Smelling his blonde hair, seeing his smile again, and having him hold her again, its been ten months since she last seen him, but alot has changed about her. She wasn't as scared and timid now. Helga walked onto the flight and found a seat.

"Please fasten your seatbelts the flight will be leaving shortly for Rio de Janerio in ET six minutes."

Helga fastened her seatbelt, and her heart was up in her throat, and her stomach was in the pits. She was all topsy turvey, but it didn't matter. She was going to find him, beg first, then command him to be with her.

The plane began to rumble, as it slowly picked up speed and rise slowly off the ground. Helga looked out the window.

Even though she made several promises to Arnold, she had to break one to keep the other one.

"That nothing will come between us. Ever." Helga thought to herself as she stared out the window her home city getting more and more distant.

**- End Of Chapter 13**

* * *

**Music video by Rihanna performing Disturbia. ****YouTube view counts pre-VEVO: 48,070,735. (C) 2008 The Island Def Jam Music Group**


	14. Chapter 14: Prove It

**Chapter 14: Prove It**

* * *

**Ten Months Later Evening**

Arnold was in the cabin with Eduardo, and they were talking about the missions they went on boasting about there victories over booze and cigarettes. Then they began talking about what there alternative life would be if they would've had one.

"_Eu seria um homem casado com quatro a seis crianças, e um trabalho de baixo pagando tentando sustentar minha família. E você?_ **(I would be a married man with four to six kids, and a low paying job trying to support my family. What about you?)**" Eduardo said about himself now asking Arnold curious.

Arnold chuckled to himself, the alcohol now finally taking hold of him.

"_Se meus avós viveram, eu teria ficado na escola, e em algum momento durante o último mandato, Helga então confessou o seu amor para mim. Eu ia cair no amor com ela, e gostaríamos de ficar juntos por nossos anos de faculdade, depois que me formei em ciência, e depois se casar com ela e ter, provavelmente, dois filhos._ **(If my grandparents lived, I would have stayed in high school, and sometime during the last term, have Helga confess her love to me. I'd fall in love with her, and we would stay together through our college years, after I graduated in science, and then get married to her and have probably two kids.)**" Arnold replied looking very sad, by this realization he had...had he not picked this life of his.

"_O seu não gostar de si mesmo muito estes dias, quero dizer que você é ... mas não realmente._ **(Your not like yourself much these days, I mean you are...but not really.)**" Eduardo spoke knowing all the other campers had went to sleep already so it was okay for them to talk.

"_Não, eu não sou._ **(No, I'm not.)**" Arnold replied simply, his voice filled with pain and sadness. Arnold at this point wanted someone to kill him and do it quickly. This pain was the worst he'd ever felt in his life.

"_Hey olhar açougueiro!_ **(Hey Butcher, Look!)**" Eduardo said, now realizing who was on the screen now.

**_"Her new song, is taking the media by storm here's Helga Pataki's song...Breathe Again."_**

Arnold raised from the bed slowly, completely mesmerized by the screen because it was her face in black in white singing like an angel again. She was running through a maze wearing a tight strapless dress, very similar to the dresses in the 1800's and it looked beautiful on her. She had short black hair from the last video he saw her in. As she was singing into the camera it kept fading and showing her face.

**_[Chorus]_**  
_"If I never feel you in my arms again If I never feel your tender kiss again If I never hear I love you now and then Will I never make love to you once again Please understand if love ends Then I promise you, I promise you That, that I shall never breathe again Breathe again Breathe again That I shall never breathe again Breathe again"_

_(Arnold then reached for the televison, and his hand was touching the television trying to touch her, to caress her face again...his heart ached and it was so painful and he cursed himself for ever had to leave her.)_

_"And I can't stop thinkin' about About the way things used to be And I can't stop thinkin' about About the love that you make to me And I can't get you outta my head How in the world will I begin To let you walk right out my life And blow my heart away"_

_"And I can't stop carin' about About the apple of my eye And I can't stop doin' without Without the center of my life And I can't get you outta my head And I know I can't pretend That I won't die if you decide You won't see me again"_

_(Arnold was gritting his teeth at this part in the song, and it took everything inside to not cry, but now that he was drunk it was really hard for him not to.)_

**_[Chorus]_**

_"And I can't stop thinkin' about About the way my life would be No I can't stop thinkin' about How could your love be leavin' me And I can't get you outta my mind God knows how hard I tried And if you walk right out my life God knows I'd surely die"_

**(Arnold grabbed his chest in pain and agony, as his head fell forward letting the silent tears flow again from the top sides of his eyes and the tears fell into his dirty hair. He did not sob, merely winced in pain as the pain he felt for the last ten months of loving this one woman like his other half...finally came out, as he shivered a bit. Her voice now filling the small little cabin of a room.)**

_"And I can't stop doin' without Without the rythm of my heart No I can't stop doin' without For I would surely fall apart And I can't get you outta my mind Cause I know I can't deny it And I would die if you decide You won't see me again"_

_**[Chorus]**_

**(Arnold looked up at the screen once more, and his eyes were filled with tears, love, and pain as he looked at her again once more before the song ended.)**

"_Eu também te amo, baby..._ **(I love you too baby...)**" Arnold said, his voice now deep and full of dark sadness.

"_Eu fiz o que era melhor para nós, meu amor. Sinto muito._ **(I did what was best for us, my love. I'm sorry.)**" Arnold spoke, his hand still on the television screen speaking as if she could hear him.

Eduardo could now see it, whenever Arnold spoke about Helga his face would light up...but this time it was different. He had never in all his years of knowing him...see him cry. Arnold had saved his life once before, and now having seen this...it made him sad as well. Sure he considered them good friends, but he was always terrified of him because he was there through most of the horror stories that were told in the camp about him. Yet in this moment, he had never looked more human. It warmed his heart in a way knowing that he trusted him enough to do so. Perhaps its because he kept his secret for him, and it is one of the biggest secrets that cannot get out. Otherwise Eduardo was a shoe in for death, and he knew it.

Arnold had raised himself off the ground, his eyes closed as he breathed in a long breath and held it, now having wiped his tears away. When he exhaled, his eyes shot open and he had returned to normal.

"_Eu vou sair para fumar um cigarro, você quer vir comigo?_ **(I'm going out for a smoke? You wanna come with me?)**" Arnold said, now seeming nonchalante about the whole thing as if it had never happened.

"_Sim, com certeza_ **(Yeah, sure)**" Eduardo said as both men left out the back door, and Arnold began climbing the tree.

Arnold loved being in nature and up high levels, it was where he felt the most relaxed.

Eduardo held his own weight and began climbing the tree behind the cabin where Arnold had found a trunk to sit so they could talk more.

"_Você realmente a ama, não é?_ **(You really do love her don't you?)**" Eduardo said simply as he lit his cigar.

The weather was cool and humid so of course there clothings were sticking to there bodies and Arnolds shirt began sticking to his. He decided to take it off, not really caring if the bugs bit him or not.

He had a bit of a darker tan than he did before, like a natural olive tan same as Helga's tan, his muscles had a natural bulge to them, and his pants were black loose fitting camoflouge pants tucked into his black war boots. His blonde was hair tousled and messy, one side of it laid on the front right side of his face and one eye sparkled bright blue in the night.

He leaned back against the trunk of the tree and allowed one foot to dangle from from the branch as he lit a cigarette and and exhaled.

"_Mais do que minha própria vida, Eduardo._ **(More than my own life, Eduardo.)**" Arnold said allowing his emotion to show.

"_Então por que você deixá-la?_ **(Then why did you leave her?)**" Eduardo asked him.

"_Olhe para nós Eduardo. Olhe para o meu apelido, me convém. Uma mulher assim não merece escumalha como eu. Ela merece um homem bom, que pode amá-la e fazê-la feliz._ **(Look at us Eduardo. Look at my nickname, it suits me. A woman like that doesn't deserve scum like me. She deserves a good man, who can love her and make her happy.)**" Arnold spoke, saddened by his own truth.

"_Eu não posso garantir sempre a sua felicidade o tempo todo, Eu não posso garantir que eu possa sair e matar outro ser humano simplesmente porque eu gosto. Para o inferno, se temos filhos..._**(I can't always garuntee her happiness all the time, I can't garuntee that I might go off and kill another human being simply because I enjoy it. To hell if we have kids...)**" Arnold spoke inhaling his cigarette and exhaling before he spoke again.

"_Eduardo, eu tenho o apelido porque eu gosto de matar pessoas. Sua parte de quem eu sou, e embora eu tenha conhecido Helga toda a minha vida, não significa que nós estávamos destinados a ficar juntos. Quando éramos crianças, gostaria de dar-lhe conselhos sobre sua família, especialmente sua irmã mais velha. Lembro-me de tudo sobre ela, a partir de quando éramos crianças até agora._ **(Eduardo, I got the nickname because I enjoy killing people. Its a part of who I am, and even though I've known Helga all my life, doesn't mean we were meant to be together. When we were kids, I would give her advice about her family, especially her older sister. I remember everything about her, from when we were kids until now.)**" Arnold spoke with longing in his heart. He closed his eyes, inhaled and exhaled his cigarette.

"_Por que você está nervoso, Eduardo? Seu coração se acelerou._ **(Why are you nervous Eduardo? Your heartbeat has quickened.)**" Arnold said simply, not opening his eyes and Eduardo looked a bit shocked.

"_Eu acho que você deve deixar tudo isso para trás, se você reivindica a amo tanto._ **(I think you should leave all of this behind, if you claim to love her so much.)**" Eduardo said, cowering for a few minutes to see if he had stepped out of line. Arnold merely smiled.

"_É porque eu amo que eu deixei, Eduardo. Eu não me encaixo no mundo dela, e ela não se encaixa na minha. Eram ambos de dois mundos diferentes, ela e I._ **(It's because I love her that I left, Eduardo. I don't fit in her world, and she doesn't fit in mine. Were both from two different worlds, her and I.)**" Arnold spoke, his eyes now shot open and looking straight into Eduardo. Arnold pulled one knee up to his chest and rested his arm on it and let it hang. He inhaled his cigarette one last time before flicking it out into the wilderness.

"_Eu não acho que o cara mau, como todo mundo diz que você é._ **(I don't think your a bad guy, like everyone says you are.)**" Eduardo spoke breaking the silence.

Arnold laughed sadistically completely enveloped in his own laughter, that was still not loud...but rather quiet.

"_E por que isso?_ **(And why is that?)**" Arnold asked Eduardo, now completely curious by his inquisition.

"_Você salvou a minha vida, eu quero dizer tudo bem se eu fodido regiamente, mas, ainda que você não me deixe para trás como qualquer normalmente teria._ **(You saved my life, I mean okay sure I fucked up royally but still you didn't leave me behind like anyone normally would have.)**" Eduardo now finally admitted to him.

"_Eu salvei você no momento, porque você fodido. Eu salvei você, porque você era um ativo importante para nós._ **(I rescued you at the time, because you fucked up. I rescued you because you were an important asset to us.)**" Arnold spoke coldly now, lighting another cigarette. He was chain smoking which meant he had entirely too much to think about.

"_Eu tinha apenas 15 anos de idade na época!_ **(I was only fifteen years old at the time!)**" Eduardo almost yelled to him, but stopped because of Arnolds gaze that cut through the darkness.

"_Eu era apenas o que, 20, talvez 21 anos de idade na época. Então, eu não era muito mais velha do que você._ **(I was only what, twenty maybe twenty-one years old, so I was not much older than you.)**" Arnold spoke his voice now sounding seething.

"_Então, qual é o seu plano?_ **(So whats your plan?)**" Eduardo asked curious to know more about him now.

"_Viver aqui, matar, servir a causa até que algo chama-se comigo, e eu morra basicamente..._ **(Live here, kill, serve the cause until something catches up with me, and I die basically.)**" Arnold spoke sarcastically, but sounding very serious.

Eduardo said nothing to him in response, and merely smoked his cigar.

"_Você sempre acha que vai vê-la novamente?_ **(Do you ever think you'll see her again? )**" Eduardo asked genuinely.

Arnold grimaced at the question before speaking again.

"_Tenho certeza de que vai ... mas eu estou esperando que não é tão cedo._ **(I'm positive we will...but I'm hoping its not any time soon.)**" Arnold said, his eyes now looking dead and lifeless.

Arnold inhaled his cigarette and his body began tensing up at what he was about to say.

"_Se ela vem me visitar aqui no Brasil, então eu vou ter que matá-la..._**(If she comes to visit me here in Brazil, then I will have to kill her.)**" Arnold spoke, as he exhaled his cigarette smoke while talking smoke completely covering his face for a couple more seconds.

"_Deixe nenhuma fraqueza vivo._ **(Leave no weakness alive...)**" Eduardo said, his voice dropping off at the last part of what he was saying.

"_Além disso, ela sabe muita informação sobre mim, o que seria a minha maior responsabilidade._ **(Besides, she knows too much information about me...which would be my biggest liability)**" Arnold spoke sounding as if he were talking about another victim and not Helga.

Eduardo didn't know what to say, normally the Arnold that he knew was rather cold, merciless, and empty inside...now he's different, and it made him happy to see that he was actually acting like a human being for once. He would give anything to be a human being again instead of this person to just randomly kill and go on meaningless missions, he wanted to travel to the states and make money and live a happy normal life. Eduardo did not understand why he couldn't just be with the woman he's in love with? That he's known since they were younger. It made him sad to know that he would rather kill his own lover, than to just shut up and make things work with her.

"_Eduardo, eu sei que é difícil para você entender. Mas eu tive que deixá-la, eu era e ainda não sou bom para ela. Ela merece ... felicidade. Não tristeza, dor e morte. Ela tem uma carreira, não tenho nada fora dela, e minha profissão, que não é mesmo de matar, apenas seu assassinato. Eu deixei a escola e tornou-se o que você vê diante de você. Eu deixei minha casa, e por trás de tudo, e agora eu tenho que fazer o mesmo com ela._ **(Eduardo, I know its hard for you to understand. But I had to leave her, I was and still am no good for her. She deserves...happiness. Not sadness, pain, and death. She has a career, I have nothing outside of her, and my profession, thats not even killing, its just murder. I dropped out of high school and became what you before you. I left my home, and everything behind, and now I have to do the same with her.)**" Arnold spoke not looking at him, knowing it was the truth. It still hurt like hell, even to have him admit it to himself.

"_Ir. Eu preciso descansar, ver você no garoto manhã._ **(Go, I need rest. See you in the morning kid.)"** Arnold said, as he swiftly began climbing up the rest of the tree towards his Hammock.

Arnold was jumping from tree to tree, almost like a monkey or a ninja would. He could hang from one tree top vine with one hand and still use his other hand if he needed to. The wilderness was his home, and he felt the most alive here. Not like the other forests, they weren't the same muggy, humid days he spent learning about everything. Even though he was a destroyer of life, he still was able to appreciate certain things like his rain forest. He had climbed it so many times as a younger man that whenever he wasn't studying on how to be the perfect killer for his comrades, he spent it reading in the tree tops, practicing his other languages and meditating. It was during this time, he found his love for literature, nature, and dancing, and singing as well. Arnold would also hang himself upside down multiple times for a few hours to help his meditation and get better. Which is why he was as precise, cold blooded and murderous. It was because he was in tune with everything that happens around him that he's so deadly. Meditation, educating himself, practice, and more meditation. He finally made it to his Hammock. He had tied his supplies next to the tree next to him. Seeing as he practically was a monkey and loved to climb it didn't matter to him if he had to climb over to get to it.

His muscular chest and stomach were glistening with sweat from the humid weather, and he was covered in dirt and blood, his blue eyes shining brightly as the moonlight illuminated him laying down in his hammock. His blonde hair was laying over one side of his face, only showing one eye peeking through over to the sky. He laid there relaxed now, allowing his other foot to dangle from the Hammock. His Hammock was roughly about ten or so feet from the ground. To Arnold, the higher up he was the better.

Over the ten months he had been away from Helga, he decided to get a tattoo on the right side of his back initiated by the leader of there group. Since Arnolds nickname was the butcher, they found it befitting to mark him with his multiple kills over the years. It had a picture of a man with colored bright blue eyes holding the decapitated heads of children by there hair. The tattoo itself was black and white and not colored, except for his eyes. Perhaps its the only horrifying element about him. Arnold never told Helga about how he also used to torture people who would stumble upon there camp, as well as his missions. They all seemed to mesh together and he couldn't remember which was which.

He was praying no one overheard him and Eduardo's conversation, otherwise Arnold would be challenged...and he would be forced to stain his hands with the blood of his comrades. Including Eduardo. It didn't bother him to kill everyone else, it bothered him to possibly have him kill his mentors and possibly everyone who knows about his past. He couldn't have anyone find out, if it did...he was a shoe in for murder or jail. He didn't care for either at this point...what with Helga gone, it didn't matter much.

Something was coming, he could feel it. He didn't know what it was, but it wasn't anything good. Arnold remained relaxed now counting various different heartbeats. It was more than one person and they were not sneaky at all, because there footprints to him sounded like a tribe of Elephants running.

"_Eu vim para você, açougueiro..._ **(I've come for you, Butcher)**" A familiar voice said.

Arnold smiled widely at this voice.

"_Eu pensei que você ainda estava nos estados, garoto._ **(I thought you were still in the states, kid.)**" Arnold replied mockingly at the voice he recognized from back in New York.

The preteen boy merely laughed back at him. Arnold still smiled cunningly at him.

"_Eu vim para ter você preso por seus crimes de homicídio, que diabo de olhos azuis!_ **(I've come to have you arrested for your crimes of murder, you blue eyed devil!)**" The preteen yelled to Arnold.

Arnold chuckled to himself under his breath. Arnold then rose from his laying position and stood on his Hammock completely in center before speaking. He was still smiling.

"_Agora veja, que não é muito agradável. Na verdade, eu sou uma pessoa muito agradável, uma vez que você me conhecer._ **(Now see, thats not very nice. I actually am a very nice person, once you get to know me.)**" Arnold replied as if toying with the boy again.

He wanted to make him angry so Arnold could taste fresh spilled blood on lips again, and have the aroma competely envelop him in it.

His smile now sadistic, and the boy stood frozen as if horrified by Arnolds illuminating shadow because he was standing against the moonlight. His frame bigger, and much more terrifying and his eyes...always cutting through the darkness. Sending a silent warning to the boy. The boy began laughing, but Arnold can tell from his heartbeat racing that he was terrified numb.

"(You probably don't even know your completely surrounded, give it up butcher!)" The preteen boy yelled at him as if trying to scare Arnold.

Arnold began shaking his head and chuckling yet again.

"_Deixe-me dar-lhe um segredo sobre mim, rapaz. Eu já sei que você tem 20 homens que me rodeiam na copa das árvores, e que só deixa você no chão. Movimento ruim de sua parte. Você acabou de fazer o que muito mais fácil para mim filé a pele de seus ossos, e tomar meu tempo ao fazê-lo..._**(Let me give you a secret about me, boy. I already know that you have twenty men surrounding me in the treetops, and that just leaves you on the ground. Bad move on your part. You just made it that much easier for me to filet the skin off your bones, and take my time while doing so...)**"

"_Sua realmente vai ter que começar a fazer melhor do que este rapaz, você está começando a me aborrecer._ **(Your really going to have to do better than this boy, your starting to bore me.)**" Arnold kept saying to provoke him to climb up the trees, have the men strike first. It didn't really matter to him...tonight he was going to be satisfied with as much blood on his hands as possible. This was the only other option he had...so he could put Helga's face...in the past.

The preteen boy said nothing, merely commanded his men to attack him in the tree tops. Arnold's smile was as wide and evil as the cheshire cat, as he licked his lips in preperation for the blood bath that would ensue.

* * *

Helga had taken the mid afternoon flight around 12:15pm so she knew she was going to be there relatively late at night. Perfect, it gave Helga a means to practice everything she had learned. They arrived in the city roughly around 10:20pm. Even though Helga was exhausted, she decided to begin her search.

Now she was completely overwhelmed by how beautiful the city is. As Helga was walking through the streets completely mesmerized by how everything is, a fan had stopped her and asked for her autograph. Pretty soon, Helga was bombarded by a crowd of people.

Dammit, she didn't want to be noticed. Curse her for having her fame escalade since she made those music videos for Arnold.

Just where in the world was Arnold? If only she could get away from the crowd of people and start searching for him. Her heart sank at the thought that...she may not find him. He was pretty hush hush about a lot of things.

Helga began signing for her fans and briefly scurried away before they could take any pictures of her.

Helga needed a minute to think to herself so she could begin her search. What Arnold didn't know is before she left she played back the video tapes of that day in the limo and now having understood Portuguese, found out revealing evidence about him. She had no idea the boy would come after him, but Arnold had said he enjoyed solely taking out his village. Even still, she...loved him so. She understood what it meant to loose everything, just as he had. It was only until she lost him for good and the image of Arnold dead, drove her to the brink of despair and insanity.

Helga ran to a back alley in the city and quickly scanned the area to see if anyone was coming. She didn't hear anyone, and so she began to think loudly to herself...

If I were Arnold, and I loved and enjoyed being surrounded by death, bloodshed, and needed to do it where no one could find me...not in the city, he would be too easily detectable...in a forest maybe? Helga did notice how excited he would get whenever he saw a tree in the city, and would climb it hella fast. He usually referred to himself as a monster, scum, and ugliness...but it was something else...

An Animal! Thats right, he said he used to meditate and study the sounds of nature because its where he fits and feels the most relaxed. The more relaxed he was, the easier it was for him to kill. Helga's eyes shot open and she smiled evilly.

She knew where he was. He was in a forest, the only problem is...she needed to figure out...Which one.

Nothing, will stand in her way because she wanted nothing than to desperately see him again. Even if...it meant she had to die...she still had to. Some part of her knew she was walking towards her own death, it didn't matter because she felt dead without him anyways.

"_Quem está lá!?_ **(Who's there?!)**" Helga said quietly, as she quickly armed herself with a knife, her stance relaxed and ready to strike when she needed to.

"_Ms. Pataki, não há necessidade de hostilidades. Meu nome é Gabriel, que deseja ver Butcher certo? Todo mundo na cidade sabe dele e nunca desejam conhecê-lo. No entanto, aqui você está perseguindo ele._ **(Ms. Pataki, there's no need for hostilities. My name is Gabriel, you wish to see Butcher right? Everyone in the city knows of him and never wish to meet him. Yet here you are chasing him.)**" The hooded figure seemed to smile evilly under his hood.

Helga stared into him, her stance not moving.

"_O que você quer?!_ **(What do you want?!)**" Helga replied simply, her voice firm and unafraid.

"_O renascimento...do meu filho._ **(The rebirth...of my son.)**" The hooded figure spoke and he suddenly came for Helga.

Helga smirked at him. He attempted to grab her by her hair but Helga was fast as she dodged him and took her knife and sliced him across his chest making him bleed lightly over his clothes. He fell backwards, and Helga stood tall and began punching him in the face multiple times. Not stopping.

Helga had a feeling who he was, and if this was him...Helga wanted nothing more than to see him dead. He was the one who corrupted Arnold and put him through all that hell in the first place.

To end the fight she took her hand and quickly put enough pressure to render him speechless and he passed out. Helga spit on him and began swiftly retreating the scene before anyone saw her. Helga remained eerily calm, and perhaps it was because she was now understanding how to channel your anger.

Judging by the way the man smelled earlier, Arnold was in the amazon. He smelled of rainforest. So Helga wasted no time, and began quickly and swiftly towards the large forest over the statue where the cliff was.

I'm coming my love. Helga kept thinking herself, as she disappeared into the shadows of the city.

* * *

Arnold began licking the blood off of his fingers, and his eyes shone bright in complete euphoria. He was holding the heads of the men who had came after him in the other hand. All twenty of them.

Arnold then took his other hand that was holding the heads by the hair and began rotating them as he was looking at them and he breathed a sigh.

"_Agora vamos ver, o que fazer com eles?_ **(Now lets see, what to do with these?)**" Arnold said, still smiling as he faced each of them spining it around and around. Arnold was covered in fresh blood in the tree tops and his blade stained in it.

This was insane, the boy didn't even see him move at all in the tree tops. It was almost inhuman how quickly he moved. The boy stood frozen.

"_Eu sei, eu vou deixá-los ser um presente e uma lembrança de sua falha...mais uma vez. Estou desapontado._ **(I know, I'll let them be a gift and a reminder of your failure...yet again. I'm disappointed.)**" Arnold spoke sadistically, as he then threw all the severed heads at the feet of the boy who stood terrified at the sight of them all dead.

"_Eu só dar misericórdia uma vez, e agora você conseguiu me fazer chateado._ **(I only give mercy once, and now you have managed to make me upset.)**" Arnold said, now letting out a loud laugh in victory.

His laugh was so loud, terrifying, and morbidly disturbing the animals in the forest sensed something was wrong and began making noises against Arnold, not to silence him, but out of fear for the deep rumble in his laugh.

The boy was rendered speechless yet again.

"_Agora, esta é a parte em que você morrer. Você se aproveitou da minha misericórdia uma vez antes, e eu não vou mostrar misericórdia neste momento. Venha lutar comigo sozinho. Se você ousar._ **(Now, this is the part where you die. You took advantage of my mercy once before, and I will not show mercy this time. Come fight me alone. If you dare.)**" Arnold spoke as he cracked his neck and rotated his shoulders, his eyes still shining bright.

He quickly licked the blood off of the blade and began swiftly jumping from branch to branch going straight for the boy. The boy pulled a knife out equal to the size of his own and stood his ground. Arnold smirked under his breath and there knives met. As they began there fight.

* * *

Helga remained swift and stayed in the darkness, being completely aware of everything around her. It was amazing what months of training could teach her. She heard a loud evil laughter coming from somewhere in the distance, and it made her heart stop at the sound of it. The animals were reacting completely terrified, as if the devil had arrived on earth. Helga did not cower in fear, she merely stood her ground, smiled, and enveloped herself in the far off distance of his laughter. God her heart ached for his sick twisted ass.

Helga followed the sounds of the roudy animals because they were running away from something, and she assumed that was Arnold. It had to be.

Helga traveled for what could have been hours, she did not know, and she didn't care. She wanted to see him, and nothing else at this point. She didn't want food, she didn't want water, nothing. Only to see the man that had stole her heart and took the very sleep from her eyes.

Helga did not show her desperation in her steps, they were calculated and precise. She did watch Arnold while he was working more times than she didn't because she was mesmerized and fascinated at the time. Now, she only wanted to learn...and be beside him once more.

She traveled a few more miles, not knowing which direction she was going...only followed the animals, and her heart came to a complete stop. She hid and crouched low to the ground, listened, and watched.

* * *

"_Você vai queimar no inferno e Deus vai tirar tudo precioso para você, até que você não tem mais nada!_ **(You will burn in Hell and God will take everything precious to you, until you have nothing left!)**" The boy said, and Arnold was over top of him and the tip of his knife pointed at his heart. Arnold smiled knowingly before speaking to the boy again.

"_Ele já tem_ **(He already has.)**" Arnold hissed at him and he shoved the knife into the boys chest ending his life quickly. Blood seeped into the dirt, and Arnold decided to sever the boys head and let the body bleed out. It would give the animals something to feed on.

Arnold took his dagger and swiftly threw it at the tree where the intruder was crouching behind.

"I know your there...Helga." Arnold said, coldly and detatched not wanting to see her now.

He then threw the boys head out into the distance and he breathed a sigh, his body still turned away from hers. He heard her footsteps from behind him, and Arnold wiped the blood off of his blade on his pants.

Arnolds heart was racing rapidly, and he ached to look at her face once more, to hold her and caress her face again. Yet he was angry at her as well, because she broke her promise and if anyone found out he would not only have to kill her which was bad enough, but he would have to do it PUBLICLY amongst his comrades.

Helga stared at his half naked body covered in blood and dirt, and his blonde hair was longer. He was glistening with sweat, and she wanted nothing more than to touch him, tell him how much she missed him and how much she loves him. They stood in silence both of them trying to discern there feelings.

Helga couldn't take it anymore, she quickly pulled her blade out and began to attack Arnold as she held the blade at his throat. Arnold relaxed under there pressing bodies and he licked his lips.

"Do it." Arnold commanded her, his body not moving.

Helga then took her blade and sliced Arnolds arm near his shoulder. Arnold made no sound as he bled. His body still turnt away from hers. This infuriated Helga even more. She spun him around, and slammed him against the nearest tree, the blade now at his throat again. There eyes finally met, and Arnold smiled.

"Yes." Arnold said to Helga, as he broke free from her grasp and punched her a few times in the stomach, and once in the face.

He didn't hit her hard, he was trying to discern how tough she is now.

Helga shot him a cold glare, as she spit blood out and wiped her mouth, her eyes still locked onto him. Arnold was instantly aroused by her change in demeanor.

Helga threw her knife to the ground and she heard it clang and thump. She began cracking her knuckles, and she relaxed herself in a wing chun stance.

There were no words or exchanges of love, even though they both desperately wanted to, Helga knew this was a test, and she was going to come out the winner no matter what it took. She had came too far to give up on them now.

Arnold tossed his weapon to the side, and cracked his neck again as well and he relaxed into his Brazilian Jiu Jitsu stance.

Helga beckonded him to strike first as she motioned him over.

Arnold licked his lips and smirked at her, and there fight ensued.

* * *

There fight ensued for what felt like hours, when it may have been at least 45 minutes or so. Neither of them tired, both stubborn to prove there own view.

Arnold was surprised at how quickly she had averted his attacks, how strong she was and more importantly knowing that she could stand her ground in a fight against anyone. She was a master, and it aroused him and made him want to take her now in the middle of the blood pooled forest in the dirt. However he stayed focused on the problem at hand, and that was beating Helga to send her home and to never have her promise to look for him again.

Helga was successful in averting Arnolds attacks and using his own weight against him. However he was fast, and she had to figure a way to squirm her way out of his holds because he was strong. Helga managed to find a way each time remembering her other martial arts training as well. Helga would not be phased by him, no longer be afraid of him, or anyone.

Arnold charged for her once more and Helga still standing her ground firm averted Arnold, pinned him against the tree, Helga now behind him and she punched him lightning fast in the middle of his back. Arnold was now bloody and completely spent.

Helga sensed his tiredness, and removed herself off of him and allowed him to fall to the ground.

Helga's eyes were cold, even though on the inside she wanted to hold him in her arms and make sure he was alright but showed no emotion towards him.

Arnold began laughing, not his warm laughter, but his sinister laugh before rising now facing her. His eyes were closed and he was bloody and she was as well. Helga raised her stance once more.

Arnold spit blood from his mouth and raised one hand up, and his eyes opened and looked at her.

"_à vontade_ **(At ease,)** my love." Arnold spoke finally conceding to her.

Helga relaxed her stance, her heart skipping a beat, and she finally looked back at him into his eyes. She grit her teeth holding back the tears she had felt inside as soon as she saw him. He did the same, and his face softened.

"Hey Helga, I've missed you." Arnold spoke softly near a whisper, as the glistening of tears held in his eyes looking at her.

Helga melted at the sound of his voice.

"I've missed you too football head." Helga said, as she ran to him and they embraced each other.

Both of there hearts now set aflame by the passion they felt for each other. There love now showing for each other, and they never wanted to let each other go.

"Come with me." Arnold spoke a whisper, and Helga knew it was her que to be on alert for suspicious and leering eyes.

Arnold quickly began climbing the trees and Helga followed swiftly behind him, not missing a beat and reaching his Hammock right behind him.

Helga leaned back against the tree and let her foot dangle from the branch. Arnold quickly packed his things, including his Hammock and they both traveled by tree far away from the campsite. Arnold already knowing where he was going decided to head North. They had enemies in the North and knew no one would follow him there, Arnold was quiet and precise and Helga was right there beside him not asking questions, merely following him and taking his cues.

None of the people up North were tree climbers, and if they were they didn't like to go very high so he knew they would be safe. They finally reached a good spot high up from the ground in the trees, and Arnold began setting up his Hammock again, only this time he used the larger one.

Helga merely stood crouched on the tree branch still and motionless, and she hid in the shadows and her eyes were dark, and not cutting through the darkness. You could barely see her since she dyed her hair black. Here eyes were cold and emotionless and she was still covered in blood, which you could barely see.  
Arnold turned to look at her after he had finished setting up and was completely amazed, mesmerized and aching for her all at the same time. He wanted her even more now than he did before.

"At ease Helga." Arnold spoke firmly acknowledging what she was doing.

Helga breathed in a long heavy sigh, and she opened her eyes and her face had softened.

Maybe this could work, Arnold thought to himself.

Helga leaped into the hammock with Arnold and landed on his stomach. Both of them were still bloody from there fight and Arnold let out a groan in pain. Helga giggled at him.

Arnold then pulled her down towards him and laid her to the side both of them facing each other now. His hand had carressed her face, and to Helga his touch was electric and set her body on fire. Arnold merely looked at her. He was speechless for how truly beautiful she was, now her brown eyes sparkled in the night sky, her cold black hair had covered her face and she had a naturally flushed pink lips. Arnold took his fingers and trailed her face. Helga couldn't take it anymore.

"You always did tease me" Helga spoke to him jokingly.

"Not like the way you teased me with our fight earlier tonight, dear heart." Arnold said, now his erection pressing against her leg. It took everything invested in Helga to stifle a moan.

Arnold then pressed his lips against hers, now both of there bodies set on fire again. They deepened there kiss within an instant, it had been too long and they had been apart for too long. There bloodied bodies pressing against each other as Helga licked the blood from his wound earlier, and it sent a chill down both of there spines. Arnold let out a low growl, and it made Helga wet and ready with need as she moaned in response to him. Arnold knew she was ready, and wasted no time getting her out her clothes before tossing it precisely onto the next branch.

"I love you Arnold, and only you." Helga said to him before taking his lips again. Arnold then grabbed Helga, both of them naked, and they moved to another tree with a much bigger branch. Arnold slammed Helga into the back part of the branch and licked the blood off of her, the bark and wood digging into both of there skin and neither of them seemed to care. Helga moaned in response to him, and he kissed her again before pressing her up higher and inserting himself inside her.

"Oh Arnold!" Helga exclaimed in pleasure as he entered her. He groaned in response to her moaning, and immediately began stroking her with much need and force. Helga was loving this, he was not slow with her like he was last time. He was forceful, and now shes come to love it. Helga pulled his head to the side as she bit him, hard.

"Yes" Arnold growled a hiss, his voice husky and deep. He kept stroking her, hard and fast and Helga was nearing her release, feeling the coil in her lower abdomen undoing itself.

"_Venha para mim, Helga _**(Come for me, Helga)**" Arnold whispered low in her ear, and Helga felt the coil release and unwind in her lower abdomen.

"Oh Arnold!" She moaned a yell, and Arnold nearing his own release, finally let out his release pulling himself out of her and came on her thigh. They both relaxed, now both of them raked with after sex spasms and they kissed each other again. Arnold was kissing her gently and Helga bit his lower lip, looking up at him playfully. He bit at her, and they both smiled.

Arnold still naked, jumped to the branch nearest the Hammock where his supplies were and gathered her clothes and his as well and a towel.

Even though Helga was covered in blood from there fight, and semen from there love making session she didn't care, she was elated and her heart had taken flight again. Arnold arrived back, with there clothes and a towel, his body was glistening with sweat and blood on his chest, and his back. Helga shuddered at the sight of his naked body under the moonlight. His body looked like it had belonged in a sculpture and not on a human body. It was just rude. Arnold smirked evilly, noticing she was staring at her.

"Yes Arnold, I do like what I see." Helga spoke simply smiling at him, as if answering the question he was about to ask. She had beat him at his own game. He licked his lips again, this was too much for him to handle.

He chuckled under his breath.

"Your an incredible woman you know that, Helga?" Arnold spoke softly, he now felt like he didn't have to hide or pretend to be something he wasn't around her anymore. Helga blushed under his gaze again, and she got dressed slowly. Now both of them hopping into the Hammock together. They held each other in silence

"No, not really." Helga replied to him, finally breaking the silence of there own thoughts.

"I just snapped without you, and my mind finally went to Disturbia." Helga said admitted what happened to her after those long ten months without him. It was cryptic to others, but just enough where he knew he would understand her.

"Now do you understand me a bit more, love?" Arnold asked her still holding her. His voice was soothing and genuine.

Helga winced in pain and let out the tears she held inside.

"Yes, and I'm sorry." Helga finally admitted clutching onto him. She knew nothing about him, and understood nothing about him...and without her knowing it she pushed him away. The only man who loved her with no conditions, who was willing to give his life to save her. She was such a fool.

Arnold held her tighter, he remembered the many nights he cried after everything around him collapsed. The only difference was, no one was there for him when it did. He could be there for the woman he loved.

"What was it like, Helga?" Arnold asked curious to know if it was the same place and insanity as his own. Helga stifled her tears back to regain speaking again.

"Evil, dirty, ugly, beautiful, raw, and filled with much much pain and hurt." Helga described.

Arnold knew she was not describing an actual place. She was describing the place in there mind when both of them had snapped and officially reached insanity. The world where they both had decided to jump off the cliff into the totally insane part of your mind. Arnold smiled as he shed a tear, because her answer was correct. She did understand him that much more and he was truly happy.

Perhaps there relationship was salvagable, and now Arnold believed it. She had changed for the better, and he didn't have to pretend to be something he wasn't. He was a killer, and he enjoyed it but now that she was more equipped to deal with him, they could work. Arnold got tired of constantly having to refrain himself, however with Helga...she could just fight him and have sex and the desire to kill would be gone. This made him truly happy on the inside because he knew now that he was a fool for ever thinking she was dainty. Even in there youth she was never dainty, she was mean, she would scowl, and curse at people. He loved her, and now he wanted to give there relationship a second chance. Now he had a partner who he could train to make just as lethal as himself. But even though his heart was filled with hope...there lay trouble lurking around the corner. Arnold grew tired of the leash around him from Gabriel, and from all the people in his life he had ever worked for.

Then he saw exactly what he had to do...but in order to do this, he was going to have to keep Helga a secret...until she was further trained by him. If she wanted this relationship to work as much as he did, she was going to have to commit and learn the same rules as he did.

So with this, Arnold devised a plan and continued thinking about it...well until the next morning.

**-End Of Chapter 14**

* * *

**Music video by Toni Braxton performing Breathe Again. (C) 1992 LaFace Records LLC**


	15. Chapter 15: Let the Training Begin!

**Chapter 15: Let The Training Begin**

He awoke with the sunrise barely peeking over the horizon opposite where he was laying, but he awoke to the sound of wild bird caws.

He breathed in the cool humid air, and looked back down at Helga.

He smiled at the sound of her sleeping soundly.

She felt so warm, and his heart felt warm and fuzzy, these ten months were the hardest without her. He could still smell the dried up blood smeared over both of them. He didn't sleep much that night because he spent most of it devising a plan...now, Arnold wanted out. Sure he loved being with his comrades and killing spree's but he loved Helga more.

He moved her black hair from her face, and she looked beautiful. Her short black hair still matted, and messy with dirt in it, her skin had a light tan olive tan to it, her lashes looked long naturally, and her lips were pink and she had a little flush on her cheeks from the weather change.

Arnold was used to the constant humid weather but being surrounded by the tree's helped him stay relatively cool.

Arnold then moved the bang that covered her face to the side so he could fully look at her. It made his heart swell with pride knowing he had a truly incredible woman, and the crazy part was...had he not left he probably would've married someone, probably Lila, and sure he would have loved her...but not like this. Not to the point where it was barely hard for him to breathe, and he would shiver and feel sick when he wasn't around her. It was different, like he was all in now. So in a way, he was glad he left...because here she was, unashamed of herself and him...and he felt at peace. No need to kill, no need to do anything except to see her smile for the rest of his life. He smiled at his own thoughts.

He shook Helga awake gently.

"Helga, wake up" Arnold spoke softly. Helga's eyes shot open, like she hadn't been sleeping at all but was very alert.

She then glanced at Arnold, and her body immediately relaxed.

He kissed her briefly, and warmly, as Arnold s hand began caressing her face lovingly.

Helga smiled, a real one.

"Dammit Arnoldo, why you always do that every single fucking morning?" Helga retorted at him, as if they never left each other.

This made him smile warmly at her, but said nothing.

Merely gave her a look filled with much love in his eyes.

Helga stretched and quickly gathered her surroundings by looking around.

"Helga." Arnold spoke seriously, hoping to grab her attention. Helga did not turn to look at him, merely turned her ear towards him to listen intently.

"I have to go back to the camp, I need you to find a place to hide and I will rendevouz with you in ET 2 to 3 hours. Okay? Don't worry, I'll come find you." Arnold said, kissing her forehead before rising out of the Hammock, jumping to another branch and crouching low to the ground. Helga merely nodded in understanding, and said nothing to him. She knew this was no time to get lost in there emotions again, for both of them this was life or death. The determining factor if they could be together or not.

Then it hit Helga because she forgot to tell him something. Her heart began to race at the memory.

"Arnold. I forgot to tell you something." Helga said turning towards him and finally looking at him.

He was leaning back against the branch, his black loose pants on, tucked into his war boots and his shirt was off...his skin had a light tan, olive tan same as hers. His eyes were a bright blue, which meant he was happy. Helga was getting better and better at this. His chest was broad, and muscular, and his arms just the same.

Helga did remember seeing him last night hanging from one vine with one arm for about twenty minutes, which is why he was able to pick her up so easily last night. His hair was a bright glistening blonde under the coming rising sun.

He then lit a cigarette and just sat there and said nothing in response to her.

So she knew he was listening, yeah...she was getting a whole lot better at this.

"I ran into a man named Gabriel in the city and he knew who I was, and was looking for you. He said he would've taken me to you." Helga said, hoping to get a reaction out of him and judging from his reaction would say a lot about who he was.

Arnold twitched in his right eye, as he breathed a heavy sigh gritting his teeth.

Helga knew it. Judging from Arnold's reaction he was pissed. To any normal person he would look relaxed and calm, but now that Helga had spent extensive time under gruesome training, now she was able to pick up every little bit of his moods, that she was unable to pick up before and if she did it would have to be really obvious. Now she didn't have to work as hard, and it was nice.

"Head honcho, I take it?" Helga spoke hinting at the possible answer and she knew she was right.

"We have to move then, I don't know him and I for sure don't want to know him." Helga said as she leaped to the next tree branch and regathered her weapons and put them in her normal hiding places in her clothes.

"Were in the North, he may not come after us." Arnold spoke sounding as if giving him reasonable doubt and still relaxed smoking his cigarette.

"We don't know that for sure. Judging from our conversation, he wants me dead." Helga spoke harshly at him, now sounding like a business woman and taking control of the situation.

Arnold smirked at her, as he exhaled his cigarette.

Arnold was truly astounded by how accurate she was in her prediction. For once, it was nice to have Arnold relax and take control and have him be a simple soldier instead of him calling the shots.

"I'm ready when you are, Ms. Pataki." Arnold spoke firmly, as he put out his cigarette but did not toss it in case he or someone else from the camp was on there trail.

Helga smirked at him, looking very confident and self assured.

"Grab our things, and lets move!" Helga commanded him, and he was aroused yet again. Helga jumped and climbed from tree top to tree top without stopping for breath and Arnold followed swiftly behind her, carrying the luggage on his back.

* * *

Helga and Arnold decided to make there way to the closest beach, staying alert for any followers. Luckily there were none, so they had some time. The beach was beautiful, the sun had just set onto the horizon painting the sky multiple hues of purple, blue, and pink red.

Helga and Arnold decided to rest on the shore of the beach, where there were plenty of people. Arnold knew them well enough that they wouldn't really try anything in public in risk of being arrested. Which they were both counting on at this point.

Arnold placed the luggage down, and decided to relax on the beach by sitting in the sand and he pulled one knee closest to his chest and let his arm relax on his knee. Helga did the same sitting close to Arnold, and she drank some water she had stashed from a river they stopped at prior.

Arnold still had something on his mind, and he needed to say it.

"Helga." He said grabbing her attention as she was gulping down some water. She began listening intently on what he was about to say, somewhat afraid of what he was going to.

"I have to train you further in order for us to be together like this...and I don't mean the type of training you've been put through. I mean to actually kill." Arnold spoke not moving, and his tone harsh and cold.

Helga's eyes averted his, and she swallowed a dry lump in her throat.

"I think I know why, but indulge me and tell me why." Helga asked, again afraid of the answer.

Arnold breathed a sigh, before lighting a cigarette...it had been almost all day since he last had one. He exhaled it before speaking.

"If you want this to work between us, I need to know that you have my back when shit gets really ugly, and bloody. I cannot have you be afraid of death at this point because our lives are in danger." He replied simply, staring coldly at her.

Helga showed no emotion because she knew it would come to this, although she didn't want it to.

Helga breathed a sigh. She may have been trained in multiple things, like language, martial arts, and how to use weapons properly...but she was a bit hesitant. But in order for them to be together, they may have to. What would there life be like if she was able to kill? Would she change like he has? She wasn't sure, and it made her insides churn at the thought.

"I know you can do it. I saw the look on your face as I was holding the severed heads. You didn't seemed phased before like you would have ten months ago. I know your a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for. I'll be right here with you, if you don't think you can do it. Then this is something I will have to do alone." Arnold said grimacing at the thought of going after Gabriel and his comrades alone.

Helga looked a bit shocked.

"Its not like I haven't thought about it, but still...its a human life. They haven't done anything, they got mixed up in it...just as you have." Helga replied.

Arnold breathed a sarcastic smirk.

"Look at what it did to me, Helga." He replied emotionless.

"Its funny, any normal couple would come to a beach like this in Brazil for a vacation, and here we are running for our very lives." Helga noted sarcastically.

"Mm." He said reaffirming her thought.

"I will teach you everything I know, if your willing to learn." Arnold spoke looking intently at her, serious but a smirk playing on his lips.

"You never change do you?" Helga spoke as if knowing him truly for the first time.

"In a lot of things, no. But when it comes to you, I have." He replied looking at the sky smiling, his eyes now closed.

"Your willing to risk sacrificing your brothers to be with me? The very person who trained you who, hell, may as well be considered a father figure to you...all for me?" Helga asked, knowing this is how he truly felt on the inside.

Arnold smiled an all knowing smile as if completely sure of himself.

"Yes." He spoke firmly.

This made her want to cry, because she spent most of her life making the same sacrifices for him...and yet he was willing to do the same for her. Now she wanted nothing else to learn, from him.

"Okay Arnoldo, I'm ready." Helga spoke firmly at him, showing no cowardice, and full of belief.

Arnold seemed shocked at her reaction, she was willing to learn? At first Arnold was unwilling to learn but he only did it to survive at first, then he reached a point where it became fun for him. She was willing? Did she really love him that much?

"You really love me that much Helga?" Arnold said softly, still not looking at her but staring up at the sky.

"Yes Football Head, I do." Helga smiled warmly at him.

"But-just make sure you start me off slow...okay?" Helga said sounding timid.

"Yes love, I will be gentle." Arnold said lovingly to her.

Helga smiled back at him.

"Now, show me everything you've learned in the last ten months and I'll just watch." Arnold spoke firmly, now raising to his feet and picked a spot and stood firm and planted into the sand.

"Okay, but you asked for it Yutz" She replied, her voice returning to a serious tone.

* * *

She was incredible yet again, she had learned many various forms of martial arts, spoke different languages, and was a master of weapons. This made it easier for him because he knew that if they were going to infiltrate his home camp, he could toss her a weapon and she would be unstoppable.

"Where are the major parts in the body, don't tell me. Show me." Arnold spoke firmly to her.

Helga charged after him and forcefully ran her long knife as if to chop him in pieces and stopped at the various areas to sever parts of the body and would be considered instant kills, the blade barely touching his flesh.

"Good." Arnold reaffirmed.

"You missed one though." Arnold said but could barely hear him because in a matter of seconds he was right behind Helga with his bare hand firm as if to strike the area in the back of her neck. Helga made no reaction to him, did not tense at all.

He thought he was going to have to walk her through slowly, and at this point he didn't need to.

"I take it you studied human anatomy and physiology?" Arnold spoke backing away from her and resuming his place in front of her.

Helga nodded her head in response.

"Very good. So this is going to be easier than I thought." He replied an evil grin playing on his lips.

Helga stood prepared and awaiting his next instruction.

"Follow me, quickly!" Arnold commanded as he regathered there things and headed back into the forest.

Helga followed swiftly behind him.

Arnold stopped on top of a tree branch and held his hand up as if to tell her to wait. Helga stood stone still, turning her head towards him awaiting his instruction.

"We'll start with deer. Hunt it. Kill it and bring it back here. I'll give you thirty minutes, knives only. Go!" Arnold commanded to Helga silently.

Helga smirked a devilish smirk, and was off jumping from tree branch to tree branch without thinking, merely listening and focusing on the sounds of the forest. She knew the deer in this area were around something moist. So now all she had to do was follow her instincts to river.

She could feel Arnold following behind her, even though she couldn't hear him.

Helga stopped on the tree branch as she spotted a deer drinking water from the river. Helga then pulled out her knives slowly not to alarm the animal. Helga crept until she was right above it, and she smiled. Helga was in her kill mode, and was thinking of everything painful she had ever been put through in her life. Then she swiftly fell from the tree and sliced the animals head off and the creatures body fell to the ground.

Arnold was right behind Helga as he suddenly appeared, now quickly cutting the heart out of the animal and cupping the blood into his hands from the animals heart.

"Drink love." He commanded as he opened her mouth and made her drink it, while the animal was still moving.

After he made her drink it, he drank some as well. What Helga didn't know he was going to explain afterwards...

After Helga unwillingly swallowed the blood, it was an experience unlike anything she could had imagined. Helga's eyes began rolling into the back of her head as she fell to the ground unable to catch herself by the sudden rush she felt. She could feel the animals blood coursing through her body, and she was bombarded with flashes of all life forms on the planet. The feeling she got was not only euphoric, but now she was unafraid of anything. Even God could no longer instill her fear.

Once Helga had awoken from her euphoric trip, now she realized her hearing was much better and now she could hear Arnold's heartbeat. Her eyes went wide at the sounds she was now hearing. Arnold was standing with his arms crossed and an all knowing smile played on his lips.

"How was it love?" He spoke seductively to her his eye brow raised inquisitively.

Helga had to catch her breath, ten months ago she was unable to understand anything about Arnold...now her entire world had changed. She was no longer afraid, or sad, or even lonely, she wasn't subject to her emotions now as she was ten months ago, now she felt invincible.

"This was the first part of my training, I was instructed to drink the blood of the heart of the animal while it was still alive. Ever since that moment, I was invincible, now if you've noticed your probably hearing many things at this point, some sounds are strange and others are oddly familiar. Since were on a bit of a time crunch, I'll ask you to read my heart beat and tell me what I'm feeling." Arnold spoke unwavering, and solid merely looking at Helga, if she got this right then they were more than ready to attack.

Helga closed her eyes, after wiping the blood from her mouth and listened. The sound of his heart beat now getting louder and louder and he was surprisingly calm at everything going on around him, but there was something about it that was off.

"Your just as terrified that we'll fail this mission as I am...aren't you football head?" Helga spoke knowing it was the truth.

Arnold smiled a wide Cheshire cat smile.

"Helga my love, you are an incredible woman...there is not much more to teach you at this point." Arnold spoke smiling, and sounding completely relieved.

Arnold then walked to her, and kissed her taking Helga off guard for a moment but relaxed under him. They slowly broke the kiss, and Arnold smiled warmly at her.

"Come, bring dinner with us and I'll search for a place to shack up for the night." Arnold spoke now returning to a softer loving expression.

Helga smiled sweetly at him as she swung the heavy lifeless creature over her shoulder, and followed Arnold swiftly behind him climbing the tree tops and jumping from branch to branch.

* * *

They made it back to a private beach this time secluded by rocks and trees making sure no one was following them, thankfully no one was. Arnold had skinned the deer and they were cooking it over an open fire. They both sat staring at the moon and the night sky over the ocean. The air was cool, and humid and smelled of salt water and spices.

Arnold sat in front of the open fire nearest the ocean and Helga sat in between his legs. Arnold was holding her by wrapping his arms around her waist. Both of them at ease and relaxed under each other and the close contact. This time it wasn't about sex, just holding each other and both of them getting lost in each others thoughts.

"Ten months ago, I did not understand you at all. I couldn't read your thoughts, and I was terrified of you." Helga spoke not looking at him, only looking out into the ocean waves coming in and out on the shore.

Arnold breathed a smile under her.

"Now, everything is so different. Like even my own world is foreign to me. How did you live in my world being this way for as long as you did without going crazy sooner?" Helga asked genuinely confused but now with a better understanding of who he was and almost everything he had been through.

"Its because I love you, Helga. Everyday during that time we spent together I put you first, you were always on my mind, I was always watching out for you. I only wanted to see you happy, and I would be in the shadows lurking to make sure no harm would have ever come to you." Arnold spoke his voice filled with genuine love, not looking down at her, merely staring at the night sky.

As he spoke, she could feel his voice rumbling against her back, and she smiled and held his arms closer to her waist.

"Perhaps it was a good thing you left me, otherwise I would not understand you as greatly as I do now. I'm grateful for all of it, you know, the pain, the heartache, and the amount of love you have shown me. I've grown up my whole life with you in my heart and I'm so glad it was you when I was three years old and not anyone else." Helga spoke near tears as she felt the dry lump she felt in her throat, but swallowed it.

"Leaving you was the hardest thing I had to do, Helga. I felt sick everyday without you, I still get the chills when I'm around you, and all it takes is for me to look at you to make my heart race as rapidly it does." Arnold admitted allowing his emotions to show as he spoke.

Helga did not turn to look at him, she did not move merely enjoyed him holding her like this, because she felt the same way about him.

"You know something Arnold...the main reason I couldn't look at you was because you were too damn gorgeous for me. It was like staring into the sun you were so gorgeous." Helga chuckled to herself now finally able to answer his question from a long time ago.

"Who are you kidding?" Arnold spoke sarcastically as he took his other hand and lit a cigar this time, and exhaled out without coughing.

"Do you know how many times you made me loose my composure when we were together back in New York? Try everyday." Arnold spoke truthfully, as he leaned back releasing her from his grip now inhaling the cigar and exhaling.

Helga scooted from him and began looking at him, and bit her lip.

His posture was relaxed and open both feet forward and he was wearing the same loose black pants tucked into his black boots. There was some scuff on them from all the traveling they had been doing. His broad muscular chest was glistening under the moonlight still looking rather tan from the constant sunlight exposure,and his blue eyes shone brightly like the sky under the light of the moon. His blonde hair was dirty, tousled and messy, some of it falling forward in front of his face but still seeming shiny even though it was unkempt. He held a cigar from one side of his lips and professionally inhaled and exhaled without ever having his fingers grab it and move it.

"Like looking at the sun huh?" Arnold spoke, now realizing she was staring at him and was biting her lip, a devilish smirk now playing on his lips still holding the cigar in his mouth.

Helga did not blush under his gaze, merely smirked back.

"Your not fooling anyone love? Your beautiful." Arnold admitted now fully taking in her features.

Helga's a-symmetrical short black hair framed her face beautifully, and she was wearing a black tank top that hugged her hourglass figure well, and a capri length black pants. Her skin held the same olive tan as his, and her brown eyes were sparkling even though she was sitting against the moonlight. Her lips were full and pink, and her cheeks held a natural rosy flush to them.

Helga merely looked away at him as she held herself in response to his comment.

Arnold rose an eyebrow at her reaction.

"Its just hard to believe, that I'm sitting here with you and it was even hard for me to believe that you want to be with me." Helga shyly admitted to him.

Arnold smiled warmly at her showing white teeth, and his expression loving.

"All those years huh? Tell me, what crazy things did you do to hide that secret from me all those years?" Arnold asked now curious about what she had done in the past.

"Well..." Helga started off saying.

There conversation went on for hours almost well into the morning and they ate there dinner. Arnold was laughing at most of her escapades and many trips she made in the past into his boarding house to keep the secret from him. She told him how she had a shrine of him, and he smiled at her as if truly touched by the sentiment and not freaked out at all. This took Helga by surprise for a bit, but decided not to pay attention to it. He kissed her feverishly and her body was lit on fire all over again.

"C'mon, lets go." Arnold spoke abruptly as he pulled her into the ocean.

Helga was confused by this reaction in him.

"What are we doing?" Helga exclaimed alarmed a bit by his action.

Arnold smiled charmingly at her, making her melt all over again as he pushed her into the ocean on the shore.

The cool rush of ocean water felt good against her skin, and she rose from the water completely soaked, attempting to get the taste of salt water out of her mouth and nose.

Arnold grabbed her and pulled her close and spoke in her ear.

"For tonight, lets just be a normal couple. Lets not worry about our lives at the moment, and just focus on us right now. Helga, I want to build many memories like this with you." Arnold spoke with much love filled in his voice.

"But what if they come get us?" Helga spoke questioningly still confused, now really wasn't the time for this.

"Helga, tomorrow...one of us or both of us may die, so why not spend this making a good memory..." Arnold spoke making his point, now nibbling on her ear.

Helga giggled by the contact, and she kissed him back and they both fell in the water bodies pressed together.

They laughed a carefree laugh, full of much happiness in this moment as they splashed water against each other and tugging at each others clothes playfully and for once...being like a normal happy couple.

They made love that night on the shore of the ocean, and Helga giggled under the constant contact of the ocean water coming in and out.

Arnold decided to put Helga to bed and sit and wait outside the tent for the rising sun, he had a feeling they were catching up with him and Arnold was not going to take any chances. He left Helga's weapons next to her in the tent, knowing she would awake at his command. There were no questions of self doubt, no questions of why he was going to sit outside the tent and await for morning to arrive. She knew that, tomorrow...would be the showdown she was afraid of and they both had to be ready for anyone to strike.

This time, Helga would fight...in the name of there love.

**- End Of Chapter 15**


	16. Chapter 16: Showdown!

**Chapter 16: Showdown!**

Arnold sat outside the tent watching the sun peek over the horizon atop the ocean.

It was coming, he could feel it in the air...that much bloodshed was about to take place. Arnold could hear Helga's heartbeat and breathing as she was sleeping soundly, or at least that's what he thought. He knew she would be ready to attack at any moments notice.

The sun began rising higher and higher as time passed, and Arnold's stomach was in knots. Not because he was nervous of the match because he knew they would win...it was having to face him again. The man who tortured him into the man he is today, it was the man who taught him everything he knew...and there skills would be matched. What Arnold was afraid of, was having him go after Helga. Arnold would rather bleed to death before anyone ever hurt Helga, but he had to trust in her strength, will, and determination to win.

Arnold glanced up at the sun, and his bright blue eyes were gleaming, his stance relaxed and his blonde hair dirty from the night prior laying very messily over his face. He let out a low vicious growl because he then picked up on multiple heartbeats surrounding him.

Arnold smirked a devilish smirk, already knowing who had approached him a few feet from the tent that sat in the middle of the beach.

"_É finalmente bom ver você de novo, Gabriel._ **(It's finally nice to see you again, Gabriel.)**" Arnold spoke to the man his voice very courteously.

The man laughed maliciously at him.

"_Você também, meu filho. Eu perdi você assim, diga-me ... por que você deixou seus irmãos para esta cadela?_ **(You as well, my child. I have missed you so, tell me...why did you leave your brothers for this bitch?)**" Gabriel spoke, his voice dark and booming and malicious.

Arnold smiled back at him, as he rose from his seated position and brushed the sand off of him. Now he lit a cigarette and let it hang from his lips and Arnold's eyes spoke...of hatred, and vengeance He remained cool and collected because Arnold knew Gabriel was trying to get a reaction out of him, and he wasn't going to show it.

Arnold glanced behind him, and saw Helga's shadow...she was holding her weapons and her stance was relaxed. She used the fact that she was hiding in the tent to her advantage. All it took was one word, and it was over for them.

Arnold glanced back at the man who stood in front of him.

He was tall, and had a muscular build, he had tan skin and bright green eyes that spoke of evil. He tattooed black eyeliner on the bottom rims of his eyes because to the clan it meant he was the leader, plus it made him look darker and more scary. It worked for him. He had long black hair that was straight and ended at his shoulders. He wore all black clothes just as Arnold does now.

Arnold smirked at his last remark before speaking.

"_Ela não é só puta qualquer, Gabriel. Ela é a minha cadela, e não você, ou qualquer outro homem pode tê-la._ **(She's not just any bitch, Gabriel. Shes my bitch, and not you, or any other man can have her.)**" Arnold hissed back at him, his tone and voice seething.

Gabriel laughed, a loud booming laughter that seemed to make the animals in the forest behind him buck in fear.

"_Agora, vamos jogar limpo ou sujo?_ **(Now, do we play fair, or dirty?)**" Arnold spoke, placing one hand in his pocket of his pants and the other one holding the cigarette as he exhaled the smoke. His eyes locked on Gabriel's, and Arnold's eyebrow rising playfully.

"(I've already called dirty play, dearest son.)" Gabriel spoke smiling, showing all white teeth, malicious, and sadistic.

In this relationship, if Gabriel was Satan...then Arnold was the anti Christ and they both knew this about each other. Both of these men extremely handsome, even though Gabriel was in his mid forties or so, they used this to there advantage, back then.

"Arnold, **NOW!**" Helga commanded, slicing the man creeping up from behind nearest the tent in half.

Arnold quickly placed the cigarette in his lips and began ducking the gun fires that came from the forest aimed at him and Helga. Now both of them sprung into action.

Multiple men dressed in all black garb began running after Arnold and Helga, but they were too slow. Arnold took the men to the left and Helga to the right. Both alert and listening to each other making sure both of them were in tune with each other.

Blood began to splatter all over the sand and it seeped through, as they both wasted no time going for the kill shots.

When Helga had completed her side of men, she needed no further instruction and ran as quickly as she could almost at lighting speed to the men who were firing gun shots at them. Helga put them all down and out of there misery as blood splattered all over her face, body, and clothes.

All Helga kept thinking about was placing Bobs face on all of them, and it made it easier for her to cope with what she was doing. The hatred she felt in her heart was dark, evil, and sated. Helga shed no tears, no remorse, not even a glint of emotion in her eyes for they were a muddled dark brown.

Helga was somewhat lost in her thoughts and heard at the last second a man approaching her from behind as he suddenly stabbed a long knife straight through the left side of her chest barely missing her heart by mere inches.

"**AHHHHHH**" Helga screamed to the top of her lungs as she became crippled with pain, her blood seeping through her clothes and the sound of crunching flesh under the pressure of the blade in her chest. He held the blade there for a few more moments before releasing her, as Helga fell to the ground. Helga now coughed up blood as she grabbed her chest.

Helga felt dizzy, but that didn't stop her as she grit her teeth, now covered in blood.

"You son of a **BITCH!**" Helga yelled, now grabbing her weapon on the floor and sliced him in his throat and watched him bleed to death. She was still holding her wound near her chest, it was deep and gushing out.

Within a matter of seconds she felt Arnold behind her wrapping a cloth around her chest as if to stop the bleeding. She could feel he was tense, and now he was worried about her. Helga stood tall, and spit the blood that filled her mouth onto the ground. Her breaths were now shallow and short.

"Stop, Helga otherwise you will bleed internally to death." Arnold spoke to her harshly, now seeming a bit frantic.

"**NO!** He's all that's left. He's the one that started all of this, he's the one..." Helga began to say but fell to the ground, her vision becoming more and more blurry her breaths slowing.

"Goddammit woman!" Arnold yelled at her, now he was gritting his teeth, as he picked her up off the ground and held her close to him. Both of there bodies now covered in blood.

Gabriel stood against the sunlight on the horizon as it cast a shadow over his entire figure and his green eyes cut through the darkness that cascaded over him.

Arnold turned to look at him, as he let out an animal like ferocious growl to him.

"_Assistindo um sangramento da mulher, é simplesmente lindo, não é Butcher?_ **(Watching a woman bleed, is simply beautiful, isn't it Butcher?)**" Gabriel spoke, near a sadistic chuckle.

Arnold's eyes remained fastened on him, cold and emotionless. Not just the normal emotionless, it was as if Arnold's soul went cold.

"_Butcher Nããão!_ **(Butcher Nooooo!)**" Arnold heard a voice yell from behind him.

Eduardo was running towards Arnold, once he finally caught up with him he stopped to catch his breath.

"Let me help you Butcher, then hopefully after this I can move to the states with you and find a wife." Eduardo said speaking English knowing Gabriel wouldn't understand him, and Arnold was grateful for that.

"Take her. Run as fast as you can, please Eduardo, this is my last request not just as a comrade, or as a friend...but as my brother." Arnold spoke his voice warm and filled with concern.

Eduardo took Helga from him, and began running back towards the forest trying to get her to the nearest hospital or get her some type of treatment.

Arnold resumed his gaze back at him, and he stood relaxed. Arnold then cracked his neck and rotated his shoulders, as the emotionless butcher came fore front in his face.

Gabriel smiled a Cheshire cat smile.

"_Isso vai ser divertido._ **(This is going to be fun.)**" Gabriel spoke still maintaining the smile on his lips.

Arnold returned the same smile.

"_Sim, é, e eu pretendo aproveitar cada momento dela._ **(Yes it is, and I intend to enjoy every moment of it.)**" Arnold spoke, now his eyes bright with joy at the coming fight.

* * *

Helga had passed out for some time, and when she finally awoke she was at an empty cabin laying sprawled out on a wood table, her shirt was off and so was her bra but realized her wound was stitched and bandaged.

She frantically began looking around for Arnold but saw a man with short curly black hair, and tan skin cleaning medical utensils.

"Your finally awake, Ms. Pataki" He said, finally turning around to face her.

"_Eu posso falar a sua língua que você conhece._ **(I can speak your language you know.)**" Helga spoke smiling at him, she could tell he was a friend and not an enemy.

He smiled warmly at her.

"My name is Eduardo, I was shortly enrolled into the camp shortly after Butcher was in." Eduardo said still speaking English to her. His English had a thick accent but Helga was able to understand him well enough.

"Where is he now?" Helga asked, now concerned and not really worried about the fact that she was still half naked in front of another man.

"Fighting the leader, me and Butcher didn't become really close until after he saved me that one mission. We were instructed to raid another nearby village and I messed up by getting captured by the village chief. Butcher came and saved me...and ever since then, we've been friends." Eduardo said not glancing at Helga merely looking off into the distance as if looking back into his own memories.

Helga then reached for her shirt that was at the end of the table and put it back on, as she sat crossing her legs merely focused intently on what he was saying. Sure she could be concerned that Arnold was going to die, but she wasn't. She knew that he would come back victorious, and more importantly...she trusted him to come back in one piece.

"He's lucky to have you, ya know" Eduardo spoke smiling warmly at her, his face soft.

"What do you mean?" Helga asked now curious for what it was like on his end when they were away from each other for that ten months.

"You complete him, and I've never seen him happy. I mean sure he's happy when he's butchering people but once he came back after meeting you, it wasn't the same. All he could talk about was you, how beautiful you are, how wonderful you were and all that. It made me quite jealous, because here he was taking on this silly ridiculous missions when he had a woman who wanted nothing more than to be with him, who loved him. I remember talking to him about his parents, his family, what he was like when he was younger, and some way the conversation went back to you." Eduardo spoke warmly towards her, as he finished cleaning the medical tools and sat on the wooden table next to her. He then dangled his feet off the side, before speaking.

Helga couldn't help but smile and almost cry at the thought of Arnold constantly talking about her. It just seemed so unlike him.

"I take it...him leaving you was hard on your as well..." Eduardo spoke not taking his gaze off of her. His eyes were a bright grey color, but they were warm and charming.

"Yes, it was...I told him, when we were little kids I spent my entire life loving him, and yet here was this twisted man who I still love. It wasn't until he left, that I trained myself to kill and be like him...that I finally understood him. All that time, I didn't understand him...and now I do. I was such a fool back then..." Helga openly admitted to him, tears now welling in her eyes at the pain of him leaving her ten months ago.

"Yeah he's twisted alright, but he wanted nothing more than to protect you and be by your side. Think of it this way, had he not left you...you wouldn't have this deep understanding of him that you do now. Everything happens for a reason, Ms. Pataki" Eduardo spoke, his voice calm and loving almost...like the love from a younger brother.

"One thing I've learned being in this camp for as long as I have...there are two sides to everything in life...light and dark, love and hate, and the way I see it...there's darkness in everyone. Think of it, don't you get angry when things don't go your way? Were all a bit insane in a sense and you can't love without hate, you can't have happiness without sadness, how would you know what either of those were had you not experienced darkness, or sadness? At least I would like to think that's the moral of this great love story...Right Ms. Pataki?" Eduardo speaking sounding more wiser than any adult Helga had ever talked to in her entire life.

Helga gripped her body, and let the tears flow from her eyes. He was right, everything she had been through in life was darkness and it made her depressed and want to kill herself, and even more so after loosing Arnold. Now she knew what it was like to truly love someone because she had experienced unhappiness, she had experienced depression, and her mind having taken a dive into insanity just as Arnold had so in the past. The moral of her love story, at least now to Helga it was...one completes the other. No sunshine without rain. No light without darkness, they were two sides of the same coin, truly able to learn from each other and be alike at the same time. Arnold's darkness to Helga's light. Arnold's protection to Helga's fear. It all made sense now, why they completed each other in more ways in one.

Helga gripped herself tight and finally let everything out. The fear of loosing Arnold once more, everything her parents put her through, the loss of her home, the amount of guilt and insanity she felt on the inside, everything...she wailed to the heavens, as she was shivering.

Eduardo held her, and began stroking her hair...he seemed to be the younger brother Helga never had growing up who understood everything. She cried harder into his chest...and for the first time in her life...she felt like she had been reborn and finally accepting of all her pain and misery, she now understood...the darkness that resides inside her...is what makes her who she is now. Someone strong, and resilient now she didn't have to be ashamed at what she saw in the mirror...because that abused girl...was finally beautiful.

"Ms. Pataki, when this fight is over...please take care of him. We need to move, and continue through with the plan and get you both the hell out of here." Eduardo spoke breaking there tender embrace, and wiped the tears from her face.

Helga smiled warmly, already knowing where he was going with this.

"Right, lets go!" Helga yelled, as she sprang back into action quickly gathering her things and heading out the back door towards the city with Eduardo following behind him.

* * *

Arnold began slicing Gabriel one small slit at a time, the death of a thousand cuts. There match was even and Gabriel did the same, still missing major arteries. Arnold's wounds still less than Gabriel at this stage in there fight.

"_Bonito!_ **(Beautiful!)**" Gabriel screeched his green eyes piercing through to Arnold.

There knives clashed once more, and Arnold smirked knowing he had the advantage. Arnold quickly took his small dagger and jammed it into Gabriel's throat without a second thought.

Gabriel fell to the floor now pulling the dagger out from his throat, gasping for air, now holding his neck as the blood began gushing out through his fingers.

Gabriel then took his dagger and stabbed Arnold's right leg, and Arnold barely flinched at the pain in his leg.

"_Você era meu melhor ... prodígio._ **(You were my best...prodigy.)**" Gabriel said, now officially falling onto the ground, and within a matter of minutes his green eyes became lifeless.

He was dead.

Arnold then took his long knife and severed his head and grabbed it by the hair and yelled into the skies, at first victorious and then sadness struck him in his heart.

Arnold looked at the bloody severed head, and kissed the forehead and threw it into the forest.

"_Adeus Gabriel, pai._ **(Goodbye Gabriel, father.)**" Arnold spoke, now relaxing and lighting a victory cigarette and let it hang from his lips as a tear fell from his eye.

Arnold stumbled as he began walking now realizing his body was covered in blood...he was bleeding out, and he didn't have much time before he was going to need medical attention.

Arnold regathered himself, and quickly gathered there things on the beach and quickly headed back into the city, it was only a matter of time before he completely bled out, his strength now leaving him the more he pushed himself.

"Helga...Helga...My love...I'm coming..." Arnold spoke to himself, now rushing back into the forest, hoping his bloody body would make it back to the city to see her once more...he was dying, and he knew it.

There may be nothing more to save him now from his coming doom.

* * *

Helga had a private Jet ready, now waiting for Arnold to arrive out in the middle of the city on a rooftop.

Helga felt a sudden shudder go down her spine, and she felt sick.

Something wasn't right, he was taking too long.

"Eduardo, I have to go...now." Helga spoke as if knowing something was wrong.

Eduardo nodded his head in response as if understanding her intuition.

Helga had jumped from building rooftop to building rooftop, her stomach was unsettled and she didn't like it...not one bit, she had to hurry.

"God, please...let my intuition be wrong." Helga muttered to herself now truly frightened at what she may find.

Helga disappeared into the darkness of the forest nearest the city, hoping her heart would lead her to him.

His vision was getting blurry, and his body was now bleeding out slowly but surely. He felt dizzy, and his motions seemed to move slow. Arnold stopped on the cliff nearest the city before officially collapsing to the ground. He was going to die here, and he could feel it.

"I just wanted to see you...one last time." Arnold spoke to himself, his life slipping from him every minute that passed.

"**ARNOLD!**" Helga yelled to him now finally reaching him.

He finally smiled realizing who it was.

Helga grabbed his head and sat it on her lap and began caressing his face lovingly, now she was crying for her intuition was right.

He was covered in blood, and she could hear his heartbeat getting slower and slower and she panicked.

"Arnold no! Please, wake up" Helga said shaking him, misery and sorrow gripping her tight. The dry lump in her throat rising and making her choke on her own tears. She was shaking at the sight of him.

Arnold awoke looking at her, his vision still blurry, as he began caressing her face and allowed a tear to fall from his eyes.

"I love you, Helga." Arnold said, as if saying it for the last time.

Helga then began convulsing at his words.

"No, Goddammit you will **NOT** die on me you stupid football head!" Helga yelled at him commanding him to rise from his near death experience.

Helga picked up Arnold and slung him over her shoulder, now taking control of the situation...she needed to get him to a hospital and fast. He was heavy, but at this point it didn't matter because her body was now running on adrenaline.

She could only hope she wasn't too late.

**-End Of Chapter 16**


	17. Chapter 17: Rebirth

**Chapter 17: Rebirth**

Helga rushed Arnold to the hospital, not caring that the jet was waiting on top of the building...saving her loves life, was all she had left.

They kept pushing Helga aside as they rushed him into the emergency room and Helga shoved each of them aside tears freely flowing down her face. The media came and bombarded her with questions, and at this point she was frantic, and more than anything...terrified.

"What happened Ms. Pataki? Why are you so bloody? Did someone try to attack you?" They kept asking her, following her like parasites.

Helga's eye began twitching at the sight of Arnold unconciousness and his body soaked with blood being wheeled away behind the big hospital doors. All she could think about was the memory they shared together last night. Being a normal couple and how he promised to make more memories with her like this.

Helga stood frozen in the middle of the hallway of the hospital, her heartbeat getting louder and louder, and the crowd getting more and more quiet.

Silence, except for the sound of her beating heart and time getting slower and slower till it eventually seemed to stop.

Memories flooded her mind of Arnold, from the time they were toddlers, to the fourth grade, to now...She could feel it, something inside of her about to break. This was unlike when he left her, this was different. Helga could feel her body loosing control as she felt herself slowly falling to the ground, her eyes drawing complete blanks.

* * *

_In Helga's mind, the room went black and all she saw was the long hallway...as she turned to look at a shadow...that had the same figure as her._

_The figure finally turned, and smiled at her._

_It was Helga staring at herself, only this time this version of Helga was all black like goo dripping from her body except for her bright blonde hair, and her bright blue eyes. Helga stood frozen, tears streaming down her face, unable to move in the middle of the dark hallway._

_"Come my dear...he can no longer protect you...but I can." Helga's dark side spoke to her sadistically the voice sounding like a demented version of Helga's nine year old voice, like a distant echo with a low growl to it. She began to move towards Helga, unnaturally, like the way a ghost would move._

_Helga regained control of what she was seeing, and closed her eyes and grimaced before speaking. The figure coming closer and closer to her._

_"I cannot have you take over, however...you will become a part of me. For you see, there is still someone I have to protect. There is someone I love more than me, or you...and his name is Arnold. I will accept you, my dark side...the thoughts I've spent my entire life shoving aside...no more. I will spend no more nights cursing myself for never standing up to the one whom I called father. I will not spend another day cursing myself for how ugly I feel inside. No more, will I spend my life...denying you, or this part of myself. A wise man once told me, I have to accept you to be complete...and so...I shall." Helga spoke, the tears flowing freely as she allowed herself to be gripped by the pain she felt inside._

_"Its good you finally realized I exist inside you, but what will you do once you've accepted me?" Helgas dark side asked her, no longer moving towards her...merely twitching like an undead thing the blue eyes piercing through her black like goo dripping from her body._

_"I see you have blue eyes, its because of my love for him isn't it? I intend to use you...for protection. For my love, and more importantly...for myself!" Helga proclaimed, her voice projecting, now the room no longer dark and the dark figure changed into the beaten bloody younger version of Helga._

_The beaten younger version of Helga was shivering under her words, as she looked back at the original Helga, both of them crying at this point._

_"You promise?" The beaten Helga spoke to her shivering and truly afraid._

_Helga smiled, even though the tears would not stop flowing from her face._

_"Yes. I promise, Helga. I will set things right once and for all." She spoke to herself, knowing it was the truth._

_The beaten Helga smiled, and only showed a few teeth and remembered Helga had to get her teeth fixed under Bobs abuse._

_The other Helga waved, and disappeared into the light on the other end of the hallway._

_Helga breathed in a long sigh, and wiped the tears from her face._

**"Clear!"** Helga heard a booming voice from the sky say loudly.

* * *

Helga awoke from her dream and was frantic and wanting to push everyone aside now remembering she had to know where Arnold was, and if he was okay.

"Where is he!? Tell me now!" Helga yelled her voice ferocious.

"Calm down, he's just resting. You need to rest too, that wound in your chest was near fatal." The doctor spoke to her, trying to forcer Helga to lay down.

"I don't care about me! Let me see him!" Helga yelled attempting to fight him.

They called more nurses in, and they began sedating Helga until she fell back into a deep sleep.

* * *

"Where is she?" Arnold spoke firmly, not moving from his laying down position, as he was gritting his teeth.

"She's frantic, and quite honestly a bit insane...we may have to keep her here a bit longer if she keeps acting like this. I hate to see such a famous woman go crazy like that." The female doctor said to him, as if implying she wanted Arnold to forget about his female companion.

Arnold was insulted, but said nothing to her about it. Now he was worried, and he needed to get to her so they could get out of the country ASAP, before they confiscate the Jet on the roof of the building.

Arnold waited until the nurse left. His wounds now all completely stiched and judging from the light outside the sun was setting back into the horizon.

The nurse left the room, and Arnold rose from the hospital bed slowly without alarming the system. Now stealthily sneaking past the doctors, searching for Helga's room. Arnold was stuck wearing that ugly blue hospital garb, and Arnold decided to move it to the side of him, now showing the left side of his body peeking through from his muscular legs, calves, hip bone, chest and arms, that was all scarred up. Arnold didn't care at this point, as far as he was concerned he would go streaking naked in the forest.

He arrived closer and closer to Helga's room, using the corners of the hospital walls and the shadows to his advantage. He finally turned the corner from the wall, and peeked into the glass window that held Helga in the room passed out with a gas mask on her face.

"Shit. Gotta hurry." Arnold spoke to himself, not desperately wanting a cigarette, it seemed to help him focus.

Arnold waited, in the supply closet closest to Helga's room and waited...and waited, unti the whole room was cleared.

It was officially nightfall when he moved into her room, now she was concious, and he could tell from her heartbeat.

He finally walked into her room stealthily, using the shadows from the high casted lights on the ceiling. He crouched into the corner of her room, and waited for her to awake.

"I can hear you there, Arnold. Thank God your alright, I was worried." Helga merely spoke not looking in his direction as she moved the gas mask from her face. She was tearing up finally, now knowing that everything would be okay.

"Can you stand?" Arnold asked matter of factly, not attempting to show any emotion.

Helga understood it, and knew it was because they needed to get out. Now.

"Yes." Helga spoke, removing her gas mask completely.

"Good." Arnold said, his blue eyes gleaming in the darkness and his voice serious.

Helga breathed in a sigh before speaking.

"I'll grab our things. Meet me on the roof top where the Jet is. Go." Helga commanded him, and less a fraction of a second he was in action, now already standing out the window sill. Not holding the top part of the window because he was balanced.

"Helga." Arnold spoke, and motioned her to come towards him quickly.

Helga froze mid stride and quickly rushed back to Arnold standing in the window sill, already knowing what he wanted.

They pressed there lips together and exchanged a warm loving kiss, Arnold briefly clutching Helga's face. She broke it off before both of them exchanged there vows.

"I love you" They both spoke at the same time, smiling at each other.

They bumped heads exchanging there look of love, and went there seprate ways...Helga further into the hospital hallways to retrieve there stuff, and Arnold now jumping from the hospital window to the nearest roof, thankfully it wasn't that far down so Arnold could regather himself, and it was sturdy.

"What I wouldn't give for a fucking cigarette right now." Arnold spoke quietly to himself, now locating the Jet that sat atop the roof of a tall building. He cracked his neck and began rolling his shoulders forward, now his eyes were gleaming bright blue completely focused on his target of getting to the roof.

* * *

Helga was successful in retrieving there things, and avoiding paparazzi thankfully. She needed to find the quickest route back to the rooftop, and that meant finding the nearest exit.

"Shit!" Helga cursed herself now carrying there heavy tent that turned into a backpack that held all there clothes and supplies. Thank God night shift hospitals were lazy.

Helga had no time to wait, for her love was waiting for her...and she didn't want to risk anyone or anything else getting in her way.

She found the closest window near another patient and decided to jump now finding another rooftop closest to her so the impact from the fall wasn't bad at all.

Helga gripped her chest in pain from her recent wound.

"Damn stiches!" Helga cursed herself, as she kept moving forward scanning the roof tops looking for it.

Helga smiled at the sight of it.

She wasted no time, and ran for it not allowing there stuff on her back to slow her down.

* * *

Arnold stood leaning against the huge aircraft merely waiting, his eyes closed and listening to the sounds, and heartbeats around him.

He smiled a wide smile.

"You ready to get out of here, football head?" Helga spoke knowing he was anticipating her arrival.

"Yes." Arnold spoke simply, smiling warmly at her...his eyes now open.

"You better know how to fly this thing." Helga spoke now realizing the person she had asked to fly it probably didn't feel like waiting for them.

"Of course, I do." Arnold spoke, now kissing her cheek and the both of them hopped into the Jet, and Arnold walked forward towards the cockpit, and sat as he began starting up the aircraft.

"You better teach me too!" Helga spoke to him playfully serious as she sat next to him in the co pilot seat.

Arnold smiled warmly at her as he began to show her the controls and how to officially fly the aircraft.

* * *

_It had seemed like a nightmare had been put to rest, everything they had been through was worth it. Both of them learned from each other...and both of them were able to completely accept themselves for who they both were. Helga was finally able to feel beautiful on the inside, not solely because of Arnold...but had he not been as dark as he was, she would not be able to appreciate herself as fully as she did. Helga could say...finally, out loud...that she was beautiful._

_Arnold learned the value of human life in this fight, he learned that all the lives he took were worth something. There is no price on the lives that were taken by his hands, and now he was able to feel regret, and hurt. All the pain he felt from being alone in the world...had finally been put to rest. All the guilt he felt and the faces that used to haunt his sleep, Arnold finally envisioned himself placing flowers on each of there graves. Arnold learned to accept himself as well, from all the bad he did in his life, because it was a part of who he was. All that darkness, is a part of everyone. He wasn't ashamed of that...but he was finally able to learn to love himself...and others again._

_But as a couple, both of them learned the power of love as a team, and how truly dangerous they both are together._

_Furthermore, Helga's light...to Arnolds darkness. The best of both worlds, now both of them yin and yang. Completed, and one person._

**-The End**


End file.
